Hazel Technologies Inc., a USDA-funded technology company delivering new solutions for fresh produce to extend shelf-life, increase sales, and fight food waste, announced the launch of the first ever virtual Grape Quality Summit. A 2-hour event held on Friday October 9th, the summit will feature keynote speakers from across the grape industry ahead of the ‘20-’21 Southern Hemisphere grape harvest.

Speakers will include Dr. Juan Pablo Zoffoli, professor of Postharvest physiology and technology at Facultad de Agronomía e Ingeniería Forestal, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Patricio Mendoza, National Quality Manager for Vancouver, CA-based Oppy, and Mario Cervantes, Senior Business Development Manager at Hazel Technologies, Inc.

The keynote speeches will highlight the latest research on fresh table grape post-harvest quality, including maintaining stem quality, preventing stem dehydration, and ensuring optimum quality during long-distance ocean freight transit.

“Due to the ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic, innovation in the table grape category regarding post-harvest management is needed now more than ever before,” commented Juan Pablo Zoffoli. “I look forward to sharing the findings of our research with esteemed colleagues.”

“As a grower, marketer and distributor of fresh produce from around the world, Oppy has placed the utmost priority on embracing new technology to provide the highest quality, premium table grapes to retailers and consumers,” commented Patricio Mendoza, North America Quality Manager at Oppy, “Sharing knowledge within the industry on the latest research and development will help us collectively grow the grape category together.”

“Hazel Tech has dedicated extensive research efforts to understand the most urgent post-harvest management problems in the fresh table grape category and deliver cutting-edge solutions. We are excited to share our findings with our industry partners at the Grape Quality Summit,” said Mario Cervantes, Senior Business Development Manager Hazel Technologies.

The Grape Quality Summit is a free event. Registration is open to the general industry until October 9th or until capacity is reached. Content will be available in both English and Spanish. To learn more about the event and register, click here.

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