FAQ

To open The Bluapple® to replace the packet inside, place the center seam on a sturdy surface, your Bluapple will be laying on its side, and press down firmly. Your Bluapple® will pop open. Remove the old packet, place a new, unopened packet inside, and snap together. It's that easy!

Watch this quick video for a demonstration on how to open Bluapple®.

 

No, do not open the packets. The packet itself is permeable to ethylene gas and it is NOT NECESSARY to open the packets. To use or replace a packet, place the center seam on a sturdy surface, your Bluapple will be laying on its side, and press down firmly. Your Bluapple® will pop open. Remove the old packet, place a new, unopened packet inside, and snap together.
If you have accidentally opened the packet, you can put the granules back in the packet and reseal with some cellophane tape. Remember the granules are non-toxic and cannot hurt you, but the purple color of the granules can leave stubborn, purple stains if the granules get wet.

Both the Classic and Carbon packets have 9 grams of the active ingredient and will absorb ethylene gas for up to three months. The Carbon packets have an extra 4 grams of activated carbon to give you the added benefit of odor absorption. If that is something you are looking for, then the Activated Carbon will be better for you. If odors in your fridge are not a concern, the Classic Produce Saver will work just fine. 

Ethylene gas (C₂H₄=CH₂) is a harmless, odorless, colorless, gas that is produced from both natural and man-made sources, and that has a profound effect on the freshness of produce. The ethylene gas molecule is very reactive and Bluapple Produce Saver oxidizes it into a state harmless to fruits and vegetables.

The effects of ethylene gas on produce were discovered by accident. For years, lemon growers had stored newly harvested green lemons in sheds kept warm by kerosene heaters until they turned yellow and ripened enough to deliver to market. When new electric heating systems were installed, the lemons no longer turned yellow on time. Investigation soon found that the critical factor in the ripening process was the ethylene gas given off by the burning kerosene in the heaters. In fact, it was discovered that fruits and vegetables actually produce ethylene as they ripen.

Experts believe that ethylene gas acts as a signal to other plants to synchronize and coordinate ripening, maximizing the appeal of the plant to their seed disseminators (e.g. birds) and assuring the dispersal of their seeds. Scientists have since studied the effects of ethylene gas on produce and found that the effects are widespread. Even after harvest, fruits, vegetables and flowers are still alive, continuing their biochemical processes, including ripening and the generation of ethylene gas. Bruising or cutting some fruits and vegetables can even cause them to increase their ethylene gas production. For more information CLICK HERE.

The industry has developed technology to manage the amount of ethylene gas in order to accelerate or slow down ripening and spoilage. Commercial warehouses, ships, and trucks are nearly all fitted either with ethylene absorption technology or ethylene generation machines. When you buy fruits and vegetables and bring them home, they sit on your counter or in your refrigerator where ethylene gas accumulates and accelerates the ripening process. Experts say average households throw away over $600 worth of produce each year due to accelerated spoilage from ethylene gas.

Bluapple® has been developed to bring industry technology to your home, save you money, and reduce food waste. Bluapple® has been thoroughly tested. You can click HERE to download a copy of the latest independent test results!

Sodium permanganate (NaMnO4) is a safe, inert compound used in a number of familiar applications such as in drinking water treatment systems, and when combined with ethylene gas it reacts and changes into a harmless manganese oxide (a sort of “rust”) and carbon dioxide. Sodium permanganate is a safe and effective oxidizer, but we still need a way to deliver it to where ethylene gas exists. Bluapple® uses natural clinoptilolite, commonly known as zeolite as the carrier medium. Zeolite is volcanic ash that has been turned to rock over eons. Although there are numerous forms of zeolite, Bluapple® uses a form which is highly porous and possesses a very high total surface area.

When the sodium permanganate is applied to this pure zeolite using a special proprietary process, the result is a highly effective ethylene gas absorber that also has an extremely long life. Bluapple® has the highest percentage of available reactant and the longest life per gram of any other ethylene absorption product.

The NaMnO4 impregnated zeolite granules are then packaged in special membrane packets that are water resistant, but are highly permeable to ethylene gas, and these packets are then encased in our patented plastic Bluapple® shells in order to maximize airflow into and around the packets.

Each Bluapple® is designed to last up to three months assuming a typical household volume of produce use. We recommend that two Bluapples be used at the same time for a typical household in order to maximize the absorption effectiveness, though for smaller households one may provide ample protection. Full Year Refill Kits for your two Bluapples are available on our website.

When it is time to replace the packet, don't throw the spent zeolite granules away! We recommend that you put the spent zeolite granules in your houseplants or in your garden. They are a natural soil and the residual MnO2 provides trace minerals to the soil. Your plants will love it.

Bluapple® is designed to absorb ethylene gas from the typical home refrigerator for three months, however you may want to check the potency of the granules yourself. Heavy produce users may need to change their packet more often, while light produce users may see the potency of Bluapple® lasting well over three months.
If you wish to check potency, here’s how to do it.
Bluapple® packets contain small granules of the active ingredient. On a paper towel on a DRY durface, use scissors to snip open a corner of the packet. When fresh and fully potent, the granules are purplish in color and when crushed the granules are a pink-ish/purple. As ethylene gas is absorbed and oxidized the granules slowly turn completely brown inside and out (in other words, they "rust"). Packets with completely brown granules have used up their ethylene gas absorption potential and should be replaced. If the packets still have potency-life remaining, continue to use them even if you have used them for three months already! You can cover the packet corner you have cut off with a small piece of cellophane tape to seal the packet.
You can check the potency by crushing and examining the granules from time to time as needed!
When the active ingredient is completely oxidized by the absorption of ethylene gas and other hydrocarbon gases, the final chemical result is carbon dioxide and manganese oxide, of which the latter is a common component of commercial fertilizer. House plants and gardens love it!
All you need to do is cut the packet open, dump the pellets into the soil of the plant and water as normal! You can also add the pellets to compost!

Bluapple® will aggressively absorb ethylene gas from any environment it is placed in and will help protect produce in a fruit bowl or any non-refrigerated area. It works best if it is used in a closed environment where it can vacuum all the ethylene molecules from the entire space.

Obviously the product cannot effectively absorb ethylene gas from “room” size areas, particularly if combustion is present (such as with the use of natural gas stoves) but it will help extend the life of produce in fruit bowls. Note that using Bluapple® around combustion can reduce the potency dramatically as the amount of ethylene gas produced by combustion activities is substantially greater than the ethylene released from produce.

Remember that Bluapple® will not care what the source of ethylene gas is and will do its best to absorb all it can!

Growers from as far away as Argentina and Thailand successfully harvest produce, transport it for great distances over land and in ocean freighters using refrigerated containers, and then it is warehoused and transported in the U.S.to your local store produce department in excellent condition. This amazing feat can only be accomplished using the three essential elements to successful produce storage -- and all three are vital!

Temperature. You will want the temperature to remain about 38-48 degrees at all times. Keep produce in the refrigerator crispers unless you are planning on deliberately ripening the produce items or if you want to use them immediately. With some produce items like avocados, you may want to keep them on the counter until they are ripe, but then return them to cold storage in order to keep them from continuing to ripen to spoilage.

Ethylene gas control. Nearly all shipping containers use Bluapple® technology to absorb ethylene gas during shipment, and you should use this same technology at home too! Bluapple® is designed to protect your entire storage space from ethylene gas.

Humidity. Ideal humidity can neither be too dry or too wet. Most plastic bags do not breathe and end up keeping produce too wet from condensation. Micro-pore bags are available but not necessary. We recommend poking a few dozen holes in your standard plastic bags with a fork in order to keep produce humid, but not dripping. Sometimes with items like broccoli, a damp paper towel in the plastic bag can act as a humidity buffer, adding moisture if necessary and absorbing it if there is too much.

Remember, neglecting even one the essential elements can ruin successful produce storage. For example, if your produce is kept cool, and ethylene gas is controlled with Bluapple®, but condensation forms inside your plastic storage bags . . . well, we all have had the experience of opening up a bag of soggy onions or cauliflower. Similarly, poor temperature control or absent ethylene gas control will also sabotage successful produce storage efforts.

Please see this detailed article HERE with more information on the successful produce storage and the three key elements!

Well it certainly is the obvious case that the necessary essential element of Bluapple® is the packet of active ingredient, and we certainly have heard of people who merely buy the One Year Refill Kit.

However, Bluapple® itself does some important things that are not insignificant. First, Bluapple® allows for airflow all around the packet and prevents produce from piling on top of the packet and smothering it. Second, Bluapple® protects the packet from condensation or moisture in the refrigerator because if the packet were to get completely wet the efficacy would be significantly degraded. Also, the sodium permanganate is a deep purple color, and a wet packet can actually stain clothing. Third, it's cute. It continually reminds you when you look in the refrigerator that produce freshness management is an ongoing, necessary activity if you are serious about saving money and maximizing the quality of your fresh food investment.

Considering the hundreds of dollars saved every year we certainly think that the using Bluapple® to contain the active ingredient packet is well worth it!

Sodium permanganate is the active ingredient in Bluapple® and it can leave a very difficult purple stain.

First and foremost: DO NOT OPEN THE PACKETS BEFORE USE. The packet is permeable to air, keeps the pellets from falling out of the Bluapple, and is water resistant. If you have already done this or the packets were saturated with water and have left a stain, here are some things you can try.

1. A mild acidic solution such as vinegar or lemon juice.

2. Use sodium metabisulfite to remove sodium permanganate stains from all surfaces. This is a preservative found in most grocery stores in the canning supply section.

If these do not work, send us an email at answers@thebluapple.com with everything you have tried and material that has been stained and we can do some testing here to try and find what works for that material.

The contents of Bluapple packets are non-toxic. DO NOT consume them, but if it happens, it will not harm you. We use zeolite (volcanic ash) coated in a very low concentration (6%) of sodium permanganate.

Sealed plastic bag cut produce, like salad kits, is often pre-treated with sulfites, mild acetic acid, or other chemical wash to prevent browning. In addition, bags are often filled with an inert gas like argon or nitrogen which displaces the oxygen needed for oxidation until the bag is opened. The window to use the cut, treated produce is very short, usually only a couple days. To use the Bluapple, poke a few holes in the bag or leave the clamshell container cracked open to let the ethylene gas escape. It will help a little bit, but it is most beneficial for fresh, un-cut produce.

VeggieZips® are specially designed produce bags that help to maintain humidity. Each bag comes with a HydroLiner®, a thick, cloth-like towel that can be dampened to add moisture to produce, or used dry to absorb moisture.

If you are not sure if you should use VeggieZips® with HydroLiners® with the type of produce you have purchased, you can easily visit OUR PRODUCE STORAGE TIPS and search the produce item that you would like to learn about. You can learn to store over 150 different types of produce!

Yes and no. Many vegetables need high levels of humidity to maintain and maximize freshness. Leafy greens like arugula, herbs, and lettuce varieties do very well in this type of environment. Other vegetables like peppers, eggplant, celery, leeks, corn, broccoli, and some fruits like apples, pears, and grapes also need humidity to stay fresh longer. Of course, root vegetables like potatoes and onions need a drier environment. VeggieZips® would not be necessary for them.

VeggieZips® solve the problem of vegetables needing humidity levels maintained while allowing for harmful ethylene gas to escape and fresh air into the bag. The produce bag has U-Vent® holes throughout the bag; fresh air goes in, ethylene gas goes out! And, by using a damp HydroLiner® with produce that needs to stay moist, a humid environment is created. However, not all produce needs high humidity levels, they can still dry out faster if left outside of a bag. For instance, using a VeggieZips® bag with a dry HydroLiner® for strawberries, allows for moisture to be absorbed from the berries, but at the same time, they aren’t being dried out with the circulated air from the refrigerator.

VeggieZips® & HydroLiners® can be reused by gently washing with soap and warm water and then left to dry.

The VeggieZips® bags are made from low density polyethylene (LDPE) and they can be recycled with plastic grocery bags at the special bag drops. The HydroLiners® are made from paper, they will eventually biodegrade and can technically be recycled but should not be put into recycling if any food residue is left on them.

There are three key features to Bluapple® FreshMats®:

1. Cushion – this is important to reduce bruising

2. Airflow – produce needs airflow. Lifting the produce off the hard surface of the drawer will allow for airflow all the way around the produce

3. Lift – FreshMats® will lift your produce out of anything that has collected in the bottom of your crisper drawer

Contact paper or flat shelf liners are primarily used to protect against stains and scratches. They don’t protect against bruising or allow for any airflow.

We recommend washing your FreshMats® in warm water with a gentle soap, like dish soap. They can withstand the dishwasher, but if any food particles come into contact with the FreshMats®, they will stick to the FreshMats®.

FreshMats® are made from polyurethane foam coated in BPA free, food grade resin. They are non-toxic and harmless.