The Natural Resources Institute (NRI) https://nri.org is a specialist research, development and education organisation of the University of Greenwich, UK, with a focus on food, agriculture, environment, and sustainable livelihoods. The Institute manages projects across the globe, however we have several areas of work with a strong focus on UK Agriculture and Horticulture.
The Produce Quality Centre (PQC) is an applied research unit focusing on handling and storage of perishable produce. www.pqc.org.uk Contact Debbie Rees D.Rees@gre.ac.uk
The Chemical Ecology and Plant Biochemistry Group focus on providing solutions for crop pest and disease management. Contact Daniel Bray D.Bray@gre.ac.uk
NRI runs the UK Food Systems Centre for Doctoral Training (UKFS-CDT) https://foodsystems-cdt.ac.uk/ Contact info@foodsystems-cdt.ac.uk
Produce Quality Centre
The Produce Quality Centre (PQC) is an applied research unit focusing on handling and storage of perishable produce, based at the Jim Mount Building on the East Malling Enterprise Estate. The Centre benefits from access to expertise and facilities across the Natural Resources Institute, University of Greenwich (NRI-UoG) and NIAB EMR. However, the value of the Centre is particularly dependent on the unique facilities run by the NRI-UoG at the East Malling site. The PQC facilities provide capability to control and monitor storage environments in terms of temperature and atmospheric composition. The facilities comprise of a suite of 10 temperature controlled rooms with more than 70 experimental chambers each capable of independent atmospheric control and with capability to monitor the response of produce to those atmospheres. As such the PQC has the largest controlled atmosphere (CA) storage research facility in the UK.
Scientists at the Produce Quality Centre have a passion for applying plant science to practical situations. We focus on understanding the practical needs of individual organisations when implementing technological solutions. We look to maximise the length of storage and quality of fresh produce by understanding both the unique supply chain practises and applying our in-depth knowledge of plant physiology. As such we can work with industry to find innovative solutions and offer advice on storage, retail shelf life and increase valorisation with new product development.
Our on-going areas of research include:
- Monitoring produce physiology in-store to optimise controlled atmosphere storage protocols.
- Developing and testing storage regimes for sea-freight
- Testing and developing novel postharvest treatments, including ethylene management and ozone application.
- Developing and testing sustainable packaging strategies.
- In-store disease detection (sensors) and testing novel treatments to reduce post-harvest decay.
- Potato storage, sprout control, processing quality, in-store monitoring of potato tuber physiology.
- In-field cooling of soft fruit, and optimising field-tray design to improve cooling