questions & answers

what is ethylene gas ?   
Ethylene is a natural hormone in all fruit and vegetables that is responsible for the ripening and ageing process. Fruit and Vegetables produce ethylene as they ripen and they emit it as a gas. When fruit and vegetables are exposed to ethylene gas in their storage environment, it causes them to rapidly ripen and age. It is important to remove ethylene from the storage environment if you want to keep your fruit and vegetables fresh.

how does keepfresh work ? 
KeepFresh oxidizes ethylene gas, eliminating it from your fridge crisper. The process of oxidation is completely safe and non-toxic and the only by-products of the oxidation process are H2O (water) and CO2 (Carbon Dioxide)…..neither of which cause any damage to your produce, the environment or you personally.

is keepfresh easy to use ?  
KeepFresh is extremely simple to use. Just place you KeepFresh cartridge in your refrigerator crisper bin...its that simple.

how long does keepfresh last ?
KeepFresh will work for about 12 weeks in your refrigerator. At the end of 12 weeks you can simply replace the KeepFresh packet inside your cartridge with a refill pack which is available from your grocery store.

do I need a keepfresh cartride in each produce drawer ? 
Yes. For best results you should separate fruit and vegetables into separate bins and place a KeepFresh cartridge in each crisper bin.

how long will keepfresh last on my shelf at home until I use it ?  
If KeepFresh remains unopened and is kept in your pantry it will last at least 2 year until you're ready to use it.  

do I still use plastic bags when storing vegetables in the refrigerator produce drawer with keepfresh ?  
We recommend that plastic bags be used when storing most fruit and vegetables in the refrigerator. You can use the bags provided by your grocery store and put the bagged produce into your crisper bins. This helps to maintain humidity and is particularly important for product that does not have a hard outer skin. Leafy greens for example will benefit from storage in plastic bags whilst it is less important for Citrus or Apples which have a hard outer skin. Your plastic bags should never be tightly sealed otherwise moisture can build up and cause bacterial and mould growth. The bags should be left open or loosely tied at the ends.

will keepfresh absorb odours ? 
Whilst the main function of KeepFresh is to remove ethylene, a secondary benefit is the absorption of odours thanks to the unique properties of KeepFresh power pellets. You will also find that because KeepFresh is keeping your produce fresh for longer there is less odour being emitted by your produce.

how much longer will my fruit & veg last with keepfresh ? 
KeepFresh will keep your produce fresh for up to 6 weeks longer in your refrigerator. Each produce item has its own distinct storage life which ultimately determines how long you can store each product. For example, you can expect to get an additional 7-10 days storage life for an iceberg lettuce. With a tomato you can get up to 4 weeks of additional fresh storage life. It is all a function of their own perishability and their sensitivity to ethylene damage. If a fruit or vegetable grows a fuzzy mould or becomes mushy in one spot, the decay is due to mould or bacteria rather than ethylene damage. It's important to be sure that temperature, humidity and ethylene are being controlled in your refrigerator to achieve the maximum benefits of KeepFresh.

is there any fruit or vegetables that keepfresh does not help ?
KeepFresh will not help fruit which has been artificially ripened such as Bananas. Some fruits are unripe and are then force ripened by placing them in ripening rooms where they are exposed to very high levels of ethylene gas. Once produce has been force ripened it is taken past the point of fresh maintenance. Once this happens it is then impossible to stop the ripening process from continuing with rapid deterioration.

can you smell ethylene gas ?  
No. Ethylene is colourless and odourless. It is not harmful to humans or animals and has no impact on meat, poultry or non-plant foods. The impact of ethylene gas on your produce is noticeable by smell. The sweet smell that you get from ripening fruit is emitted when there is ethylene activity.

is keepfresh safe to use around children ?  
KeepFresh is non-toxic and fosters no bacterial growth, it gives off no harmful vapors and it has no volatile components. It is not an EPA waste hazard and you can discard it with your regular rubbish. You should understand however that the KeepFresh is not for human consumption.

do I open the keepfresh sachet inside my cartridge ?
There is no need to open the sachet of power pellets inside your KeepFresh cartridge.  This is a unique sachet which allows KeepFresh to oxidize ethylene gas but will protect the KeepFresh power pellets from moisture.

which fruits and vegetables produce the most ethylene gas ?  
As a general rule, fruits give off more ethylene than vegetables whilst vegetables are more sensitive to the effects of ethylene. It is important to separate ethylene producers from ethylene sensitive fruits and vegetables when you store them. Ideally, having separate crispers in your refrigerator will achieve best results.