Science will tell you how long your mango has to live – and now it’s a startup idea to commercialise

An algorithm developed in a partnership between the Queensland and Victorian governments and Hort Innovation Australia has the ability predict the shelf life of mangoes and stone fruit.

Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF) has now offered the technology up for expressions of interest to develop it commercially.

DAF and Agriculture Victoria in the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA) collaborated with Hort Innovation to develop the algorithms, which has the potential to cut food waste and improve supply chains for fresh produce.

It integrates harvest quality data plus supply chain temperature and time data with variety-specific prediction algorithms, facilitating informed stock management and supporting a ‘first-expired, first-out’ marketing approach for more predictable fruit quality.

An expression of interest process is open until June 14, seeking industry partners with expertise help to take the algorithms to market.

Details at the QTenders website.

Andrew Macnish from the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, said:“We are excited to make the algorithms, developed by DAF’s supply chain innovation team, available to help Australian growers and their supply chain partners monitor and manage product freshness and make informed distribution and marketing decisions

Hort Innovation’s GM of trade & biosecurity R&D, Dr Mila Bristow said: “release of the shelf-life prediction technology is a great example of how the Hort Frontiers strategic partnership initiative can facilitate cross-industry investment for transformational supply chain R&D outcomes to improve the freshness, consistency and reputation of Australia’s horticulture exports.”