Israeli boffins extend shelf life of fruit and veg from two to NINE WEEKS

Genius Israeli researchers have found a way to QUADRUPLE the post-harvest life of cucumbers using artificial intelligence.

The groundbreaking research has the potential to drastically reduce waste, extending the shelf life of fruit and vegetables from from two to nine weeks.

Dr. Dan Gamrasni, Postharvest Research Associate at MIGAL Galilee Research Institute told Jewish News that they chose cucumbers as their pilot project “because they are extremely sensitive and have a lot of post-harvest losses”.

The centre, supported by Israel’s Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology, used a variety of treatments that fall under the category of GRAS, or “generally regarded as safe,” such as fungicide and hot water treatment.

They used an AI system to learn the fruit’s response to variations in timings, ordering, and activation levels of certain operations. In all they ran a staggering one million potential combinations to treat cucumbers.

The AI ended up suggesting 10 different combinations of treatments. At the end of the process, the best treatment was selected laboratory tests.

Prof. Ofer Shir, an Associate Professor of Computer Science at MIGAL and Tel-Hai College who developed the AI system, says the results were “much better than expected.”

He added (…Here comes the science bit):” “In launching this project, we hypothesised that a ‘smart’, algorithmically-guided combination and sequencing of existing produce treatments could multiply their preservation effect, significantly extending fruit and vegetable shelf-life after harvest,” Shir added.

The research has the potential to significantly lower the amount of post-harvest loss, thereby optimising production and ultimately lowering the price of fruit and vegetable.

MIGAL Research Institute is located in the Galilee in northern Israel, a unique area where a variety of fruits and vegetables grow due to the difference in climate and altitudes. About three miles west of the institute in the Galilee mountains, you will find cherry, apples and pears.

Dr.Gamrasni added: “The climate there is totally different. It’s 200 meter below sea level. Avocado, mango, dates, lychee fruits, and bananas grow there, so fruit that need a hot and humid climate. This gives us the possibility of applying our new research to a variety of different fruits and vegetables.”