Isolcell S.p.A. the leading manufacturer of Controlled Atmosphere (CA) equipments, it has been existing since 1958 and it exports 80% of its Made in Italy production to more than 50 countries worldwide. The main field of application of our machines is the cold storage of fruits and vegetables.
Moreover, during the last 15 years Isolcell S.p.A. has reached the exclusive license for the use of the fluorescence technology in dynamic controlled atmosphere, patented from the Canadian Government. Our company has installed more than 2500 rooms with DCA-FC (DCA with Fluorescence) all over the world with incredible results on the quality of fruits, up to now just impossibile to reach. A big list of studies and references is available for any interested costumer. Thanks to the experience gained during this year, Isolcell S.p.A. is the world leading company in in storage technology. We manufacture and supply N2 generators, CO2 Absorbers, Ethylene Scrubbers, Gas Analyzers, Software, Room Isolation, Accessories, and the Complete Automatization of the plants. We also provide our costumers with high quality sandwich panels, AC doors, and high performance direct or indirect cooling plants. Alongside our flagship products, we make available for our customers core competences in the project design of CA cold storage facilities as well as experience in post-harvest.
What is DCA with Fluorescence?
When Dynamic Controlled Atmosphere (DCA) storage is used, the oxygen level in the cold store is lowered in steps down to near the lowest level tolerated by the fruit, the so-called anaerobic compensation point. During storage, the atmosphere is continually adjusted to the physiological condition of the fruit. This critical oxygen level is not a fixed value, but varies, dependent on variety, ripeness and length of time the fruit has been stored. By measuring the Chlorophyll fluorescence, this critical oxygen concentration can be determined very rapidly (in real time and online) and very accurately.
The method is based on measuring the fluorescence of the chlorophyll in the skin of the fruit by using a FIRMTM Sensor (Fluorescence Interactive Response Monitor) to monitor a sample of fruit. This innovative system allows you to adapt the atmospheric gasses in real time and in a dynamic way depending on the ripening process, yearly variations and different origins of every fruit variety in storage.
The oxygen concentration in the atmosphere is reduced to just above the safe level.
DCA storage has been successfully introduced in the North Italian fruit region of South Tyrol, by Dr Angelo Zanella from the Laimburg research station. After several years of scientific research, followed by four years of large-scale practical trials at several cooperatives, DCA storage is now used all over the world with more then 2500 rooms equipped with FIRM sensors upto dec 2015.
DCA storage has proved its value worldwide, in particular for fruit varieties that are susceptible to scald. The shelf life after DCA storage is also clearly better, in particular with respect to the internal quality (firmness, titratable acid and colour manteinance) of the fruit and fruit rot. DCA technology offers an alternative to the chemical post-harvest treatments.
If you need to store fruit with the maximum possible quality Isolcell S.p.A is your ideal partner!
