Frequently asked questions
Question:
Can the respiration and calculation model be used for cut flowers also?
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Answer:
Yes, both models works fine with flowers (without soil) also. Tests has been made with dafodils with a good extension of the shelf-life
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Question:
Can I find some general information (guidelines) about respiration values in the internet?
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Answer:
Yes, you can use the data as a rough guideline..You can use the links button on our "Home" page. But be aware that in most cases you don't know the detailed information about the product that has been tested like: sort/variety, soil conditions, sun and water conditions. All theese factors has an influence on the level of respiration. Therefore we always reccomend to start with measuring your own products.
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Question:
Can I use other types/sizes of jars?
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Answer:
Yes, in princip you can use all types and sizes of jars. Important is that the used jars are absolutely airtight and that there is an opening/hole where you can insert the needle from the measuring device. the opening/hole must be equipped with an septum or tape that completely closes hole after measuring. In the handbook that can be downloaded from the "login/member" section you can find a detailed description on how to use and calibrate jars before the first measuremants.
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Question:
How long time does it take to make a respiration measurement of a product?
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Answer:
A typical test takes 24 hours. In principle you can reduce the time to 8 - 12 hours. But with a reduced testing time the measured data will be unprecise. It also depends on the respiration rate of the product, in general a fast respireing product can be tested faster than a slow respireing product. Our general reccomendation is to continue the test (measure the O2 and CO2 data) until the typical end the shelflife of the product or until the O2 level in jar is close to 0 (zero). This means that a typical test can take 3 - 4 days and sometimes even longer. If you continue to measure the O2 until the level is close to 0, then you are sure you have enough date.
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Question:
How often shall I measure the O2 and CO2 levels in the jars?
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Answer:
It depends on the product you are testing. For a typical /average product, I would reccomend to follow the this measuring schedule:
1 measurement - when closing the lid to the jar
2 measurement - 2 hours after closing the lid to the jar
3 measurement - 6 hours after closing the lid to the jar
4 measurement - 24 hours after closing the lid to the jar
5 measurement - 48 hours after closing the lid to the jar
6 measurement - 72 hours after closing the lid to the jar
7 measurement - 96 hours after closing the lid to the jar
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For a fast respireing product, it can be relevant to reduce the time between the measurements, It is reccomended to adjust the measuring intervals to see a minimum reduction in the O2 level of 5 % between each measurement. you can find more information about this issue in the handbook.