Recently we conducted a trial to examine the possibilities to extend shelf life for tulips in PerfoTec MAP LinerBags (Modified Atmosphere Packaging). Why extend the shelf life of tulips? Well think about the possibilities such as sea transport instead of transport by air and bulking 1 or 2 weeks before special days like valentine or mother’s day.

We are proud to announce that a remarkable and successful trial has been conducted! The goal has been reached: there is a significant difference between the tulips packed in PerfoTec LinerBags and the control group (conventional packed tulips). Tulips packed in PerfoTec LinerBags without water for 28 days still meet all the fresh flower requirements and guarantee +7 days of vase life for the consumer. The control group didn’t develop and the flowers stayed closed and decoloured during vase life as the result of dehydration and ripening of the tulips during storage.

We are a company that focusses on freshness. With years of knowledge and experience our company is able to solve problems regarding the shelf life of flowers, fruits and vegetables. With the solutions regarding shelf life that we provide for producers, exporters and processors, they are able to reduce waste, discover new geographical markets and satisfy end-customers.

How does the PerfoTec LinerBag “magic” work?

Due to the properties of the PerfoTec LinerBag and the micro perforation that is applied, a perfect atmosphere to extend the shelf life of the tulips is created. Too much CO2 would damage the flowers, with the best example being decolorization. In the PerfoTec LinerBags they can reduce the O2 to a lower level than usual without increasing the CO2 to harmful levels.

Besides “controlling” the gas levels, we were able to prevent dehydration and bring the weight loss down to only less than 1% while the conventional stored tulips lost almost 10% of their weight.

All products, including the control tulips, were stored during this test at 2°C for 28 days followed by 3 days storage at 8°C with water in the bucket. Afterwards the flowers where put on vase with water at 20°C for +7 days to evaluate vase life.

The conclusion of this trial brings a lot of advantages for the tulips and the rest of the flower industry. As mentioned before, the “PerfoTec Tulips” performed better than the control tulips (who didn’t perform at all). Image the possibilities now that Tulips can survive without water for 28 days when they are packed with the PerfoTec LinerBag!

Interested to learn more about the possibilities in freshness that we have to offer? Feel free to contact us!