As a leading company in the post-harvest technology sector, Citrosol (Potries/Valencia) develops solutions that extend the shelf life of fruit and vegetables, reduce food waste and promote sustainability throughout the supply chain.
The company is currently present in more than 25 countries, has subsidiaries in Peru, South Africa and Uruguay, as well as its own structure in Egypt. Fruchthandel Magazin spoke with Raúl Perelló, Director of International Operations at Citrosol, about the current situation and the company's latest innovations.
Who is Citrosol today?
Citrosol is a leading company in post-harvest technology, specialized in solutions that extend the shelf life of fruits and vegetables, reduce food waste and improve the sustainability of the entire agri-food chain. Today we are a company with a clear international vocation, present in more than 25 countries and with a network of collaborators, distributors and own structures that allow us to be close to our customers in the main export markets of the world.
We have subsidiaries in Peru, South Africa and Uruguay, as well as our own structure in Egypt, which allows us to offer direct technical and commercial support in strategic markets. This local presence allows us to provide maximum support to our customers, adapting to their specific needs and accompanying them in complying with the regulatory and commercial requirements of the main export destinations.
What are the main sectors in which you are working?
Our main focus continues to be the citrus sector, where we are a reference. But we also work intensively in avocado, mango, apple, pear and tropical fruits. In all of them we apply technologies adapted to the specific needs of each crop and market.
One of our latest additions responds to our entry into a new sector, that of fresh-cut products, where Citrosol is starting to work strongly. In this context, we have developed Citrocide® Fresh-Cut, a washing system specifically designed for minimally processed fruits and vegetables, such as salads or cut fruits.
This technology has been developed together with Kronen GmbH, a German company specialized in machinery for fruit and vegetable processing, and guarantees efficient, safe and traceable hygiene. The system allows critical parameters to be controlled, ensuring constant disinfection without compromising product quality. It is also certified for organic agriculture, making it an ideal solution for companies seeking food safety without residues.
Where are your products marketed?
Citrosol is a leader in the Mediterranean countries, and our main markets outside Europe include Peru, South Africa, Egypt and other Latin American countries. In particular, Egypt is a strategic market, where we are actively working to help exporters meet European standards and reach distant markets.
Although we market our products worldwide, we are experiencing strong growth in sales and penetration in Latin America, Africa and Asia. We have also begun to strengthen our presence and service in Australia.
This global expansion reflects not only our confidence in our technologies, but also our ability to adapt innovation to each local context, offering solutions that respect specific regulations and business dynamics.
How important is the citrus sector for Citrosol?
Citrus is our main line of business. It is the sector where we were born and where we continue to lead thanks to a combination of technological innovation, in-depth technical knowledge and customer proximity. Technologies such as CATsystem® and PlantSeal® have been developed specifically to meet the challenges of the citrus sector, and their constant evolution allows us to maintain this leadership.
The citrus sector continues to demand innovative solutions to reduce food losses and improve fruit quality on supermarket shelves in that regard.
How important is the Spanish citrus sector for you?
The Spanish sector is key. Spain continues to be the largest citrus exporter in the world, and is a benchmark in quality, traceability and sustainable production. For Citrosol, this market is of strategic importance, as it allows us to implement new solutions, validate technologies in real conditions and collaborate with producers who demand solutions of the highest technical and commercial level.
What are the needs of the sector today? What post-harvest problems are giving citrus marketers/exporters the biggest headaches today?
The citrus sector is going through a period of transformation marked by increasingly stringent regulatory restrictions on the use of active ingredients. In addition, there is growing pressure from European supermarkets to reduce residues in fruit, forcing exporters to look for more sustainable and effective solutions.
On the other hand, sustained climatic changes are altering the conditions of the fruit, particularly the characteristics of the skin, affecting its post-harvest behavior and complicating its management if quality at destination is to be guaranteed.
In response to these needs, Citrosol has developed the BioCare® line, composed of organic and "green" chemical treatments, which allow effective control of rots without compromising safety and sustainability. This line is complemented by the CATsystem®, an analysis and control system that allows monitoring and optimizing post-harvest treatments, guaranteeing traceability, efficacy and a significant reduction in the use of active ingredients.
Finally, to maintain the firmness and external appearance of the fruit in supermarkets, Citrosol offers the PlantSeal® vegetable coating, which improves the preservation and presentation of the product, reducing skin staining and prolonging its shelf life.
One of your latest citrus innovations is CATsystem®, what can you tell us about it? How is it evolving?
CATsystem® is a disruptive technology that automates fungicide dosing on packaging lines. It ensures efficiency, traceability and food safety, optimizing product use and reducing post-harvest losses thanks to more precise treatment control.
With this development, our customers have full control over treatments in drenchers and flooders, which is key to meeting supermarket residue requirements. In addition, it allows excellent rot control, even in seasons with high infection pressure, ensuring quality fruit at destination and fewer commercial claims.
Another of your latest solutions is GREENFOG-AS, what exactly is it and how is it being received by the industry?
GREENFOG-AS is a green chemistry fumigant can designed for post-harvest treatment of citrus. Its formulation allows a high efficacy in the control of molds, especially peduncular mold, which usually appears during storage, transport and marketing, being a recurrent problem in shipments of limes and lemons from the southern hemisphere. Currently, GREENFOG-AS is being applied in citrus packaging in the southern hemisphere, with very good results in reducing the incidence of peduncular mold, thus minimizing the presence of peduncular mold during marketing in supermarkets.
This system is especially recommended for "zero residue" or "chem-free" commercial lines, or when seeking to reduce conventional fungicide residues. Its application method does not require water and does not generate spills, which makes it a safe, sustainable and easy solution to implement in fruit and vegetable plants.
Any other company news for citrus that you would like to highlight?
PlantSeal® is our range of vegetable waxes developed by Citrosol, which stand out for their innovation, sustainability and post-harvest efficiency. These coatings are certified with the vegan V-LABEL seal, which guarantees that they do not contain animal ingredients and meet the ethical and environmental standards increasingly demanded by consumers and supermarkets.
From a technical point of view, PlantSeal® offers far superior properties to conventional waxes. One of the most outstanding benefits is its ability to reduce fruit weight loss during storage and transport by up to 50%. This reduction has a direct impact on reducing food waste, and also helps to maintain fruit firmness, thus extending its shelf life without compromising its appearance or quality.
In terms of sustainability, PlantSeal® represents a biodegradable solution to replace the plastic film traditionally used to protect certain fruits and vegetables. This substitution not only improves the preservation and presentation of the product, but also responds to the growing environmental demands of the market.
A concrete example of application is the project in which Citrosol has participated to replace plastic film in Chinese grapefruit exported to Europe during the Christmas season. Thanks to PlantSeal®, the use of up to 40 kg of plastic per container has been avoided, which is a significant improvement in terms of sustainability and waste reduction.
