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ContaKit

Kit to evaluate the fungal contamination of fruit and vegetable packinghouses.

High fungal levels in the warehouse are a cause of fruit rot, leading to consequent losses and claims.

ContaKit is a tool developed by Agro-On to help you reduce these losses.

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What is ContaKit?
ContaKit is a kit to evaluate the contamination in fruit and vegetable packinghouses. Contakit allows characterizing the level of inoculum of fungal postharvest pathogens in the environment and on the surfaces of the warehouse.

Why is it used for?
ContaKit can be used:

Before cleaning and disinfecting cold storage rooms, to determine the level and type of contamination and so choose the most appropriate sanitizing products;
With the cold rooms already disinfected, but before fruit storage, to indicate if sanitation was correct;
To check the equipment in contact with the fruit and prove the hygiene of the packaging line;
During storage, as an aid in the decision on whether or not fumigation treatment (smoke pots) should be used;
As a proof of the result of cleaning and disinfection, if it is a Quality Standard requirement.

Why should I use ContaKit?
The development of post-harvest fungal diseases in fruit depends on:

Inherent factors in the fruit itself (maturation, injury);
Environmental conditions (humidity, gases);
Inoculum concentration in contact with the fruit (contamination).

When meeting the right conditions, the spore penetrates the fruit, germinates, develops and causes the fruit loss.

The inoculum level in the warehouse is a factor that must be controlled:

Minimizing the sources of contamination (proper waste management);
Controlling the pathways of spores spreading;
Properly applying the packinghouse hygiene protocols (cleaning and disinfection);
Verifying the level of contamination in the environment and surfaces in the packinghouse.

Can I use ContaKit in my packinghouse?
Currently Agro-On has developed the following ContaKits, with the following specifications:

ContaKit Pome fruit: Penicillium expansum (blue rot), Botrytis cinerea (gray mold), Rhizopus stolonifer (Black bread mold);
ContaKit Stone fruit: Penicillium sp., Botrytis cinerea (gray mold), Rhizopus stolonifer (Black bread mold);
ContaKit Citrus fruit: Penicillium digitatum (green mold), Penicillium italicum (blue mold), Botrytis cinerea (gray mold), Rhizopus stolonifer (Black bread mold), Alternaria citri (internal decay), Geotrichum candidum (sour rot).

Please contact us for other packinghouses or applications.Para outros armazéns, aplicações ou trabalhos específicos, por favor, .

What are the acquisition procedure and terms for use ContaKit?

Request a budget indicating the evaluation you want: click here to request your budget;
After approval of the budget, ask for your ContaKit;
Get your ContaKit within next 7 to 10 days;
Perform sampling following the instructions included in your ContaKit;
When complete the sampling, send Contakit back to our laboratory;
From 7 to 10 days, required for incubation, get the results and advises.

Other considerations:
Agro-On performs the quality control of the material included in ContaKit to ensure it reach your hands under appropriate conditions. But there are incidents that may happen during transport beyond of our control. If material comes in unsuitable conditions, please contact us: we will replace it immediately.

ContaKit allows assessing the risk related to the existing level of inoculum at the time of sampling. It is a tool to support management decisions in the packinghouse. However, Agro-On accepts no responsibility for any losses that may occur in the packinghouse.

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eFoodPrint

eFieldBook: online software of records fieldwork for tablet and mobile devices

eFoodPrint ENV: online software for getting results and indicators in environmental sustainability and production efficiency.

What eFoodPrint is?

Tools to evaluate sustainability of agrifood productions for different chain actors by providing environmental & agronomical indicators (as Carbon footprint and Water footprint) of production (eFoodPrint ENV) based on primary data.

These data may be of your field records, or you can use our online tool (eFieldBook). We can also propose and implement improvement action plans.

(click on the image to watch the video)

Markets
The Index and reports provided by eFoodPrint are useful for all those involved in food chain, from the producer to the final consumer. The information can be used as a communication tool for corporate environmental responsibility and / or marketing to consumers and stakeholders:
- Food producers, such as benchmarking tool to compare energy consumption and costs (among different producers, campaigns, production areas, crops, land, etc..), In order to enable them to make tactical and strategic decisions for sustainability and economic savings.
- Food distribution businesses to inform consumers and to ensure the sustainability of agricultural practices of their suppliers.
- Entities / Administrations involved in water management (Irrigation Communities) and other management processes like Food Quality Seals.
- Environmental Consultants and Agricultural Consultants, as a tool to facilitate economic and environmental assessments to producers.
- Universities / researchers, related to agronomy and production process of food.

eFoodPrint allows the generation of environmental assessments, economic studies and the creation of databases and studies adapted to any type of entity involved in the food chain.

Monitoring and improvement of packinghouse operations and processes:

Cleaning and disinfection:

Facilities, cold storage rooms, packing lines and packing materials;
Assessment of contamination, specific for post-harvest fungal pathogens;
Recommendations based on the level of contamination.

Post-harvest treatments:

Checking tank operation, drenching, spraying, wax application and fumigation fungicide treatments;
Recommendations on the most appropriate treatment;
Assessment of fungicide resistance in the packinghouse.

Cold storage room operation:

Review of room storage and establishment of optimal parameters for cold storage;
Review of conditions for citrus degreening;
Astringent persimmon ripening.

Packing:

Testing of impacts in fruit packing lines (IRD), determination of critical points and solutions;
Packaging according to customer requirements.

Specific studies for agri-food and auxiliary companies:

Efficacy studies for registration, product development and results demonstration of post-harvest and sanitizing products;
Application of new post-harvest technologies: atmospheres, non-destructive quality evaluation systems, packaging;
Processes optimization (cold-chain, shipment)

Implementation and monitoring of quality management systems:

Compulsory Standards: HACCP and traceability;
Voluntary Standards: GlobalG.A.P. (1 and 2 Options), BRC, IFS, Nature’s Choice.

Education and training:

Post-harvest of fruits and vegetables;
Good practices;
Food safety.

Other analysis:

Quality of fruits and vegetables;
Assessment of suitability for conservation;
Pesticide residues;
Heavy metals residues;
Water Quality.