Air Repair Ethylene Absorbers

Model 19008-19017

Order

Ethylene Management for Floral and Produce Handling
Potassium Permanganate Beads Filters Ethylene from Air
Extends shelf life and maintains quality
Reduces Shrink

Fruits, vegetables and flowers are highly perishable commodities. From the moment they are picked, they require proper ethylene management in post-harvest handling to maximize freshness, quality and shelf life from the field to the table.

DeltaTrak’s Air Repair Ethylene Gas Absorber products can dramatically reduce harmful levels of ethylene gas. The ethylene gas absorbers are composed of high efficiency, activated aluminum beads impregnated with potassium permanganate. The beads large surface area allows for maximum absorption capability. Loose weave packaging material ensures optimum airflow and oxidation of ethylene and other contaminant gases.

Even an extremely small quantity of ethylene can cause irreversible damage! Often not immediately noticeable, ethylene will have an effect even if exposure time is short. Air Repair Ethylene Gas Absorber products oxidize ethylene, changing it into harmless CO2 and water. When fresh, the Ethylene Gas Absorber beads are a bright purple color. Upon exposure to air, and as ethylene is oxidized, they turn brown starting from the surface and eventually penetrating the core of the bead.

Models

Models	Product	Dimension / Weight	Quantity
19017	Mini-Packets	2.75 in x 2 in 7 cm x 5 cm 5 grams	2000 Mini-Packets per Box
19011	Mini-Blanket	10 in x 10 in 25.4 cm x 25.4 cm	3 Mini-Blankets per Box
19008	Blanket	20 in x 20 in 50.8 cm x 50.8 cm	1 Blanket
19009	Blanket	20 in x 25 in 50.8 cm x 63.5 cm	1 Blanket

	Mini Packets: Model 19017: 5 gram Mini-Packet Ethylene Gas Absorbers are recommended for floral shipments.
	Blankets: These Blanket Ethylene Absorbers come in three different sizes: Model 19011: 10" x 10", for small coolers. Model 19008: 20" x 20" and Model 19009: 20" x 25" for larger coolers, warehouses and refrigerated containers. The Blankets should be hung from the ceiling or an overhang, preferably on the return side of the fans, where there is maximum airflow.
	Bulk Beads: Model 19010: available in 50 pound boxes. The loose beads are used as a filter medium.

Specifications

Air Repair Ethylene Gas Absorbers

Your Key of Protection
Guidelines for calculating the amount of protection to be used

Group I Factor .00001		Group II Factor .00002	Group III Factor .00003
Fruit	Vegetables	Fruit	Fruit
Berries	Artichoke	Breadfruit	Apple	Mangosteen
Cherry	Asparagus	Guava	Apricot	Nectarine
Grapefruit	Beans	Jackfruit	Avocado	Passion Fruit
Grapes	Beets	Kiwifruit	Banana	Peach
Lemon	Broccoli	Lychee	Cantaloupe	Pears (all)
Limes (all)	Brussel Sprouts	Plantain	Cherimoya	Persimmon
Oranges	Cabbage (all)	Quince	Crenshaw	Plum
Pineapple	Carrots	Tamarillo	Persian	Sapota
Pomegranate	Cauliflower	Tomatoes	Honeydew	Tomatoes (pink)
Mandarins	Celeriac		Mango
Tangerines	Celery
	Chard

Formula
Calculating Factor x Days to be Protected x Weight of Merchandise = Size #

Example:

A 40 ft containerized shipment is leaving New York for a Caribbean Island. Estimated time of travel to that island is five (5) days.
The Total weight of the merchandise is 36,000 lbs.
Half the items being shipped are found in Group I.
The remainder of the merchandise are items found in Group II>
We then calculate as follows:
.00001 x 18,000 x 5 = .9
(C.F.) (Wt.) (days)
.00003 x 18,000 x 5 = 2.7
.9 + 2.7 = 3.6 Use one size #3 and one size #1 (3 and 1 = 4)

Blankets
Size	Model
#1 (10" x 10")	19011
#3 (20" x 14")	Not Available
#5 (20" x 20")	19008
#6 (20" x 25")	19009

DeltaTrak manufactures products under an ISO 9001:2015 registered quality management system

Application Guidelines

Application Guidelines

Basic Ethylene Management in Produce & Floral Handling
Exposure of horticultural products to ethylene gas during storage, distribution and at the retail level, can cause increased shrinkage and a decline in quality and shelf life. Following is some information to aid in ethylene management for floral and produce handling.

Minimize or Eliminate Sources
It is important to identify some basic sources of ethylene which could be present in your handling environment. The first phase of good ethylene management, after identification, if elimination, reduction or isolation of different sources of ethylene. These include:
Exhaust Fumes - Combustion engines powered by fossil fuel give off significant amounts of ethylene in their exhaust, up to 300 ppm. Forklifts, trucks and airplanes in the distribution chain, even heavy traffic or busy parking lots can be significant sources of ethylene. If elimination of engine exhaust is impossible, then ample ventilation must be provided. Fuel-fired heaters on trucks can leak exhaust ethylene into floral cargo areas during transport if heat exchangers are cracked.

Microorganisms - Rotting flowers, foliage, fruits and vegetables are perfect media for fungus and bacteria to grow and thrive. There microorganisms are capable of producing large amounts of ethylene. This problem is minimized by practicing proper sanitation on a routine basis, in cooler, work areas, and also floral buckets. Discard trimmed leaves, stem cuttings or any decaying plant matter as soon as possible.

Produce - As fruit baskets are becoming more popular in the floral industry, it is important to be aware of the greater risk of ethylene damage to floral while stored or shipped with high ethylene producing fruit. These include: apples, peaches, pears, bananas, and kiwifruit. While oranges and other citrus are low producers, they are susceptible to fungal growth. Even if a fruit basket is shrink wrapped, ethylene can pass through the pores of the poly films used.
Fruit should ideally be isolated from floral products.

Tobacco Smoke - When many smokers are in an enclosed area, studies have shown that there can be a significant build up of ethylene gas over several hours. Do not smoke around horticultural products, or be certain that there is plenty of ventilation.

Eliminating Ethylene

Even with the above measures there will still be ethylene present, and even small amounts can cause significant and irreversible damage. Direct removal is done with ethylene scrubbers. When strategically placed in the air stream, as air passes through them, our Air Repair™ ethylene gas absorber blankets or tubes act as filters. Ethylene gas present in the air is oxidized by the potassium permanganate beads in the filters, so clean air is being recirculated. Air Repair™ ethylene gas absorber filters need to be replaced on a regular basis, depending on levels of ethylene present.

More Guidelines