UK: Potato Council report on ethylene storage technique released

 Ten years ago a vision arose in England of storing potatoes and onions without chemicals. A group of growers has studied, tested and perfected this new storage technique with ethylene gas. Now this technique is well known in potato and onion storage under the name Restrain. This technique was always promoted with restraint for the storage of processing potatoes – unlike for the table potatoes – due to the scepticism over accelerated development of sugars due to the ethylene, which would cause the potatoes to colour too darkly during the frying process. Research by the Potato Council now shows that the frying colour remains good. “A break through, after four years of research,” Dirk Garos responds enthusiastically. “The much used CIPC methods with Chloropropham have been on the market for decades, but are increasingly pressured due to the residues present. Ethylene is a good alternative, without residue, easy to apply and even a lot cheaper. All other alternatives are three to five times as expensive.” Read the report