Order: Rhamnales

Family: Vitaceae

Genus: Vitis

Grape is the name of the flowering plant fruit of the genus vitis of the deciduous woody vines (Vitaceae family). Grape is one of the oldest fruit species cultivated in the world. White grapes are actually green in color and evolutionarily descended from the purple grape. Grapes are 81% water, 18% carbohydrates, 1% protein and negligible amount of fat. 100-gram grapes are a source of 288 kilojoules of food energy with no other micronutrients and moderate amounts of vitamin K. When the air temperature, which should be an average of 10°C on a daily basis, falls below this value, the vine development stops. For the development of grape fruit, the annual total temperature must be at least 1600°C. This rate varies according to different varieties and can reach up to 3000°C.

Commercially valuable grape species suitable for long-term storage

Red Globe, Pink Gemre, Tracian İlkeren, Yalova Pearl, Sugraone, Cardinal, Muscat Hamburg, Merlot, Bornova Misketi, Syrah (Shiraz), Mevlana, Ugni Blanc Macabeau, Kabarcık

Grape Harvest

Grape bunches are mostly harvested by hand. Harvesting is done using knives, scissors or battery powered tools. After all the bunches are cut, the workers place the bunches in baskets and then they are kept in special cold stores (table grape varieties). Harvesting table varieties is not suitable for mechanical harvesting, so it can only be done by hand. Because mechanical harvesting causes problems such as injury and bruising on fruits.

Suitable conditions for the storage of grapes       

As with all fruits, the product should be brought to the coldstore as soon as possible after harvest, and it should be put into the cold chain by lowering the core temperature with pre-cooling. Reducing the core temperature as soon as possible is the golden rule for grapes as well as for all fruits for long-term storage. It depends on this to maximize the storage time in the current product.

Grape is one of the fruits which is most struggled with botyritis fungus. To fight against for this problem, when grapes are brought to the coldstore after the harvest (fumigation should be done with SO2 - sulfur dioxide), then it should be crated with sulfur pads. Special MAP - modified atmosphere packages with perforations in the crate and sulfur pads placed under it are among the commonly used storage methods.

Sulfur gas used in grape storage is one of the highly abrasive gases. Therefore, cooling components and cold room accessories should be selected from stainless steel materials.

In general, one of the most important factors in terms of storability in fruit species is the sugar content of the fruit. The high sugar content in fruit is a feature that accelerates fermentation. Therefore, it is possible to say that even in different sweeter varieties of the same fruit, the storage times are shortened inversely. Apart from that, even in species suitable for long-term storage, harvest time is very important for similar reasons. The harvest time of the harvested fruits should be done neither before nor after this time, and on the right days as it should be. This situation is associated with the amount of brix and sugar taken from the tree before harvest in order to extend the storage period of the fruit.

Controlled Atmosphere Storage of Grape

Botyritis fungus is suppressed by storing grapes with high carbon dioxide in a controlled atmosphere system integrated cold chamber. Low oxygen and high carbon dioxide values also delay stem drying. It can be said that storage periods in controlled atmosphere are the same as normal storage periods. 6 – 11% for O2; For CO2, it is applied in the range of 10-15%. It is an alternative method to sulfur pad + MAP bags. However, since the fruit cannot produce the necessary carbon dioxide gas in storage for grapes, it must be injected into the KA warehouse or into KA pallets via carbon dioxide source and automation.

*An important note. The above data are scientific recommendations that contain general storage conditions that are not specific to a specific region. Therefore, this information is only indicative and no rights or obligations can be derived from it. For more detailed professional and product-specific recommendations, please consult local research institutes or relevant university departments and seek professional support.

Our Controlled Atmosphere System Equipments for Grape Storage    

 - Controlled Atmosphere automation

 - Oxygen Scrubber

 - Carbon Dioxide Scrubber


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