The Fresh Up® BPC100 is a single-use ethylene filter for reefer containers, trailers, cold rooms and Controlled Atmosphere storage. Fitted in the air stream, it scrubs ethylene, fungi spores and bacteria out of the circulating air — protecting the whole load rather than one carton at a time.
Where ethylene comes from
Every crop in the load gives off ethylene. Non-climacteric lines — grapes, cherries, citrus — release only low basal amounts. Climacteric lines such as stone fruit, avocado, banana, apple and melon release far more, and the process feeds itself: once ripening begins, ethylene triggers further ethylene.
The sharp increases come down to conditions inside the load:
- Cold chain breaks — time on the wharf, a warm transfer between reefer and cold store, a container held up for clearance or inspection
- Swings in temperature — every degree lifts production, and lost shelf life is never regained
- Damaged fruit — bruised, split or decaying units give off far more than sound ones
- Mixed cargo — a heavy producer travelling with a sensitive line
- Fruit packed too ripe, or held too long before the container is loaded
- Engine exhaust — forklifts and vehicles working in the packhouse
What it costs you
Ethylene damage almost never gets named as such. It comes back to you as a quality complaint:
Firmness and pressure drop — fruit misses the receiver’s spec
Yellowing of greens, floret opening, loss of original colour
Flesh browning and disorders that show up only once cut
Faster mould, shrivel and weight loss — little life left for the retailer
Benefits of ethylene control
How the filter works inside a container
Triple protection — ethylene, fungi and bacteria
Potassium permanganate works on three fronts, container-wide:
| Threat | Mechanism | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Ethylene | KMnO4 oxidises the C=C double bond. Ethylene is converted to ethylene glycol, then broken down further to CO2 and water. | Permanently destroyed, not just trapped. Ethylene buildup reduced across the whole load. |
| Fungi | Reactive oxygen released by KMnO4 attacks fungal cell membranes and spores carried in the air stream. | Airborne spores reduced before they settle on the cargo, containing mould development. |
| Bacteria | KMnO4 oxidises bacterial proteins and cell wall components, disrupting enzyme function and membrane integrity. | Fewer airborne microorganisms in circulation, and less cross-contamination between pallets. |
Organic compliant and approved
ECOCERT certified and compatible with organic produce — unlike 1-MCP or SO2. Permitted for use with organic crops under European regulation EC 834/2007 and the American National Organic Program.
The filters contain non-invasive, non-contaminating minerals and salts. The exhausted residue is eco-friendly — discard with regular trash or use as an organic fertiliser, being mostly manganese dioxide. All active ingredient is produced under a strict ISO 9001 registered Quality Management System, with traceability and quality records enforced at every production level.
Why moisture is the key to performance
The moisture content of the active ingredient determines how much ethylene a filter can absorb. As it dries out, performance drops — and a fully dried filter can stop absorbing altogether. Reefer ventilation airflow dries filters quickly, which is why Fresh Up® encloses the ingredient in an internal protective layer that preserves moisture for the length of the voyage.
The internal protective layer
Moisture preservation
The layer shields the ingredient from ventilation airflow. Loss of moisture is the main risk to an exposed filter.
Leak-proof
The same layer is what makes a powder ingredient possible — with no dust or leakage onto hands, boxes or cargo.
Expert craftsmanship
Made by TPG — a Korean absorber specialist with 40 years across food, pharmaceutical and industrial applications.
Powder, not granules. Fresh Up® Filters use powdered potassium permanganate rather than coated granules. Powder presents far more contact area per gram, so more ethylene meets active ingredient on each pass of air. Powder is only practical because the protective layer contains it.
Specifications
| Active Ingredient | Potassium permanganate (KMnO4) — powdered |
| Active Weight | 860 g per filter |
| Ethylene Absorbed | 4.3 L per filter |
| Absorption Capacity | Over 5 L/kg of active ingredient |
| Length | 1.0 m |
| Format | Cylindrical single-use filter (BPC100) for reefer containers and trailers; flexible V-filter format for cold room and C.A. storage of apples, pears and kiwifruit |
| Packing Detail | 9pcs/Box — each individually wrapped in a thick airtight plastic sleeve, with two zip ties per filter |
| Residue | Eco-friendly manganese dioxide (MnO2) — regular trash or organic fertiliser |
| Certifications | FSSC 22000 • BRC Packaging • ISO 9001 • ISO 14001 • FDA • ECOCERT Organic |
| Manufacture | Made by TPG, Korea |
Product Brochure
Download the Fresh Up® Filter brochure
Full BPC100 specifications, installation guidance and the KMnO₄ science behind ethylene, fungi and bacteria control — in one PDF you can share with your team or your receiver.
Installation and use
- Place the filter in the air stream, in front of the container air return. Correct positioning is essential for airflow and efficiency.
- Two zip ties are supplied with each filter — installation takes a few minutes and needs no tools.
- The number of filters required scales with produce variety, storage period and load volume.
- Do not dip the filter into water.
- Single use — replace each voyage or storage cycle.
Beyond ethylene
Potassium permanganate also oxidises other contaminants that build up in a closed load — acetaldehyde, ethanol, sulphur compounds (H2S, SO2) and a broad range of Volatile Organic Compounds. That is what keeps odour transfer and off-flavours down in a mixed or long-transit load.
Ethylene by crop — trial results and postharvest guides
Each guide sets out the trial data and postharvest handling for that crop. Click any crop below to read the full article.
AvocadoIt needs cold — but cold can ruin it. UC Davis data and a 39-day Mexico–Japan trial.Read the full guide → Nectarine & plumIndependent HIN / Agriculture Victoria trial — severe flesh browning cut by up to 43%.Read the full guide → CherryThe clock doesn’t stop when the plane lands. Results from the Belgian trial.Read the full guide → Passion fruit5–7 days of shelf life and 25–40% typically lost. What changes that.Read the full guide → LycheeReal shelf life trial results on Australian export fruit.Read the full guide → MelonWhat 35 days at 4°C actually does — measured, not estimated.Read the full guide → RosesThe botrytis factor in cut flower transport.Read the full guide →
Container protection ends at the seaport. The filter cleans the air for as long as the load is in the container or store. To keep protecting the fruit inside each carton all the way to the supermarket shelf, add Fresh Up® Absorber Sachets.
Your fruit deserves to arrive the way it left your packhouse.
Talk to us about the right filter set-up for your crop and your market — get in touch.