Linde offers a reliable, eco-friendly replacement for methyl bromide. A mixture of ethyl formate and carbon dioxide, VAPORMATE
™ is a rapid acting, non-residual post-harvest fumigant for the control of, e.g. insects (adult, juvenile and eggs) in stored grain, oilseeds, dried fruit, nuts, fresh produce (e.g. bananas) and even in flowers, enclosed food containers and food processing equipment. In contrast to methyl bromide, this product is non-ozone depleting.
VAPORMATE also has no known insect resistance, low human toxicity and 'no withholding period', which means that its residues quickly break down to levels occurring naturally in food and in the environment. Ethyl formate is known as a GRAS food additive. ('Generally Recognised as Safe') It can for example be found in lemonade and ice cream.
Furthermore, considering the example of post-harvest anti-pest treatment of bananas, VAPORMATE provides another benefit, as the conventional treatment in this case involves the heatup of the bananas. This is a method that can be avoided when using fumigation with VAPORMATE, adding three more days of shelflife to the product, which can be quite a critical amount of time in the global fruit business.
Please note:
Each fumigant is subject to local regulatory approval. Please contact the global fumigants team for details and availability of product for trials or commercial use.
VAPORMATE - Applications
Post-harvest treatment of table grapes
Post-harvest treatment of table grapes with VAPORMATE successfully controls typical grape pests such as fruit flies or fungal decay. Ensuring the quality of the grapes and extending their shelf life, fumigation with VAPORMATE thus helps fruit growers, transport companies and fruit merchants to increase their profits in a global, highly competitive market while working with an eco-friendly solution.
Flour mills
In flour mills, frequently occurring flour pests such as mealworms or flour beetles threaten the quality of flour products. While repeated failures with conventional pesticides have shown the need for effective and sustainable alternatives, the use of VAPORMATE has proven to be beneficial. The treatment can easily be carried out during weekends, when the entire (normally empty) mill (including the milling equipment, storage rooms, packaging machines etc.) or parts of it can be sealed off for fumigation.
Dried fruit
As eco-friendly fumigant, VAPORMATE is also ideally suited for the protection of dried fruit (e.g. figs, dates, plums, apricots etc.) against fruit flies and other dried fruit pests during production, storage and/or transport. With a minimal effect on the environment, combined with high efficiency and short treatment times, VAPORMATE not only eliminates these pests quickly and effectively, it also significantly reduces the exposure risks for workers due to its low human toxicity levels.
Tobacco storage
VAPORMATE is also very interesting for the tobacco industry. Before being sold on the world market, tobacco is usually processed and/or stored for longer periods of time, during which it can become subject to pests such as cacao moth caterpillars and cigarette beetle larvae. Tobacco pallet fumigation with eco-friendly VAPORMATE effectively kills these pests, significantly reducing product losses.
