At the "International Conference on Fresh-Cut Produce: Maintaining Quality and Safety", held in Foggia, Italy from 3 to 6 June 2024, ATB scientist Akshay Dagadu Sonawane was awarded the prestigious ISHS Young Minds Award for the best presentation. Mr. Sonawane has been working as a doctoral researcher in ATB's programme area Healthy Food since 2021 and is a member of the Packaging and Storage working group. His award-winning research, entitled "Model for Ethylene Prediction in Fruit Package", was recognised by the International Society for Horticultural Science (ISHS) as the best oral presentation at the Fresh-cut 2024 conference. The conference was attended by around 150 participants from 25 countries.
The research presented by Mr. Sonawane is part of the DAAD project EthyModel: Ethylene dynamics in perforated fruit packaging: A comprehensive modelling approach. This research project is structured into three main components: the first involves modelling ethylene transmission through perforated fruit packaging, the second involves evaluating the ethylene removal efficacy of a commercial scavenger at different temperatures, and the third focuses on developing an integrative model for predicting ethylene accumulation in fruit packaging.
The work presented at the conference addressed a critical gap in the understanding of ethylene dynamics within packaging environments, focusing on avocados. By developing a comprehensive model that integrates fruit physiology, package gas transmission, and ethylene scavengers, Mr. Sonawane demonstrated effective control of ethylene levels. This comprehensive approach showed that the scavenger was more effective than perforation alone. The model's accuracy and reliability highlight its potential to optimise packaging to extend the shelf life of fresh produce. This award underlines the importance of our work in advancing sustainable packaging solutions.
This is the second time in two weeks that a member of the Packaging and Storage working group headed by Dr. Pramod Mahajan has been honoured with this award for his research project. We congratulate Mr Akshay Dagadu Sonawane for his outstanding work as well as his supervisor and the entire working group.
Contact: Dr. Pramod Mahajan