BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION It is known that fresh produce i. e. fruit and vegetables deteriorate after being picked or harvested. Such deterioration or spoilage includes breakdown at the cellular level of such produce and also includes diseases such as fungal and/or bacterial attack.

There are various conditions that govern the aforementioned rate of deterioration or attack including harvesting at an incorrect maturity stage; the temperature of the produce when harvested, which is related to the temperature of the environment, and heat of respiration of the produce; the extent of damage inflicted during harvesting and marketing operations, including physical and physiological damage; the moisture content of the environment for example lack of proper relative humidity; the effect of infection by decay organisms (for example fungi and bacteria); and for some commodities, exposure to ethylene gas. Since the marketing of fresh produce requires produce to reach the market in as fresh and unspoiled a condition as possible, various post-harvest treatments are applied such as drying, curing, temperature conditioning i. e. cooling, disinfestations, ethylene treatment, S02 treatment/sheets; Application of surface coatings, sanitation treatments, controlled atmosphere storage and shipping, modified atmosphere packaging; and the like.

The problem of food and fresh produce spoilage is a major problem and on a world- wide basis diseases of crop plants cause losses estimated to be approximately 12%, whilst post-harvest losses due to fruit spoilage have been estimated to be anywhere between 10% and 50%.

In addition to the aforementioned, certain health hazards can also arise during post- harvest spoilage of fresh produce for example certain fungal species of Botrytis, Penicillium and Aspergillus can grow on fruit, including apples, pears, grapes and other fruit and also on vegetables. These fungi, as well as fungi that can grow on ground nuts for example range in toxicity from being mildly toxic to being highly toxic.

As soon as produce is harvested, processes leading to breakdown commence and cannot be stopped. However, the rate at which breakdown occurs can be slowed and hence attendant losses can be minimized by employing the correct handling means and methods after harvesting.

Typical methods employed to reduce the rate of breakdown and loss involve and include cooling. Refrigeration is therefore widely employed, especially for trucking and shipping over large distances. Unfortunately, spoiling and damage of certain fruit and vegetables can take place even at low temperatures.

Another method of slowing the rate of breakdown is by using sulphur dioxide (either SO2 by fumigation or through SO2 generating pads) a few hours after harvesting, and prior to transportation of produce by sea. This has been employed in the packaging and exporting of grapes, for example.

However, uncontrolled exposure to SO2 leads to severe injury of grape berries and also leaves undesirable residue in the grape berries which is of primary concern to consumer health especially for people suffering from allergies. Today, SO2 treatments have totally ceased in the United States of America on litchi's and other fruit, except for table grapes. French legislation authorises SO2 residue levels of up to 10 ppm in litchi pulp and up to 250 ppm in shells. South African maximum residue limits for permissible chemicals such as sulphur on grapes is 50 ppm and may not be applied after small pea (5 mm) berry size.

Alternatives to sulphur have been examined by various research teams throughout the world, including Israel. The treatments proposed have been based on various chemical or heat techniques such as the application of calcium nitrate to increase cell wall strength and steam treatment. None of these investigations has yet led to a treatment nor a method that is acceptable or that has been developed commercially.

It is highly probable that S02 levels will be lowered in future or even that the use of SO2 will no longer be permitted. The Organic Crop Improvement Association has prohibited S02 as a post-harvest treatment.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an acceptable means and method for treating fresh produce post-harvesting.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a means and method for post- harvest treatment of fresh produce, which are novel and inventive relative to the state of the art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a means for post- harvest treatment of fresh produce, the means including a suitable concentration of at least one fungus selected from the Order: Hypocreales ; and/or at least one yeast selected from the Order: Saccharomycetales and/or the Order: Filobasidiales ; and/or at least one bacterium selected from the family Pseudomonadaceae, excluding Pseudomonas fluorescens, and/or the family Bacillaceae, excluding Bacillus subtils, and/or the family Lactobacilleae and/or the family Microbacteriaceae. <BR> <BR> <P>The fungus may be selected from Trichoderma sp. , and may more specifically be Trichoderma harzianum.

The yeast may be selected from Cryptococcus sp,, and may more specifically be Cryptococcus albidus. <BR> <BR> <P>The bacterium may be selected from Microbacterium sp. , and may more specifically be Microbacterium maritypicum (Basonym: Flavobacterium marinotypicum).

The fungus, yeast and/or bacterium may be applied in a suitable concentration or dosage on a suitable substrate or carrier.

The substrate or carrier may be a sheet of cellulose material including paper, card, cardboard, wood, or the like.

The fungus, yeast and/or bacterium may be provided in a slow release form, for example, in a suitable wax medium.

The fungus, yeast and/or bacterium may be selected to withstand low temperatures and may be able to control pathogens when fresh produce is stored at such low temperatures, for example from about 0.5 degrees Centigrade to about 5.0 degrees Centigrade.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a means of post-harvest treatment of fresh produce, the means including an active concentration of any suitable organism whenever applied to a sheet of cellulose material including paper, card, cardboard, wood, or the like.

According to yet another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for post-harvest treatment of fresh produce, the method including the steps of using a suitable concentration of at least one fungus selected from the Order: Hypocreales ; and/or at least one yeast selected from the Order: Saccharomycetales and/or the Order: Filobasidiales ; and/or at least one bacterium selected from the family Pseudomonadaceae, excluding Pseudomonas fluorescens, and/or the family Bacillaceae, excluding Bacillus subtilis, and/or the family Lactobacilleae and/or the family Microbacteriaceae, and providing such in close proximity to fresh produce.

The method may include the step of applying the fungus, yeast and/or bacterium in a sufficient concentration to a suitable substrate or carrier including paper, card, cardboard, wood, or the like.

The method may include the step of providing the fungus, yeast and/or bacterium in a slow release form.

The method may includethe step of subjecting the fungus, yeast and/or bacterium and fresh produce to low temperatures, for example, from about 0.5 degrees Centigrade to about 5.0 degrees Centigrade.

The aforementioned fungus, yeast and/or bacteria may conveniently be applied in a sufficient dosage on a suitable substrate or carrier, whether made from a natural or synthetic substance, such as suitable sheets of cellulose material, for example paper. Alternatively, the substrate or carrier may be part of the inside of a container in which fruit or vegetables are packed. Such sheets and containers provide not only a medium which retains a certain amount of moisture but also a medium on which the fungus, yeast and/or bacteria may feed and survive. The fungus, yeast and/or bacteria must withstand low temperatures and be able to control pathogens when fruit and vegetables are stored at low temperatures.

In one form of the invention, a solution or suspension of the fungus may be sprayed onto sheets of paper or on the inside of the container itself. Such sprayed sheets may then be provided in a container for example below and above a layer of produce in such container which may itself be treated on the inside thereof.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The invention will now be described in greater detail, by way of the following non- limiting examples: EXAMPLE 1-Preparation of active micro-organism-Trichoderma harzianum ; A method was used to prepare a microbial inoculant including the step of cultivating a desired microbe more particularly the fungus Trichoderma harzianum in a suitable growth medium in a container until an optimal cell density was attained. Once this cell density had been attained, the inoculant can be kept viable in various forms for example (a) as a liquid inoculant ; (b) by freeze-drying to provide a powder form; or (c) by adding suitable carriers to the microbes.

It was found by the inventor that it was possible to keep the fungus inoculant viable for several months when the fungus inoculant was kept in a refrigerator at approximately 5°C.

The fungus inoculant could be dissolved and/or brought into suspension by using any suitable solvent/semi-solvent, for example water at the correct pH, for purposes of applying the fungus to a substrate.

EXAMPLE 2-Application of active micro-organism to paper sheets and containers; 1 x 105-1 x 1011 colony forming units per gram or milliliters of fungus (prepared as in EXAMPLE 1. above), yeast or bacteria, as a powder inoculant, were mixed with water for application to paper sheets.

The powder inoculant or liquid inoculant containing the micro-organism was diluted, dissolved or suspended in sufficient water so that the concentration thereof as applied to paper was effective for optimal biological control of plant pathogens.

For example 1 x 109 active colony forming units/gram powder Trichoderma harzianum was used as an active ingredient and 450g inoculant thereof in powder form was suspended in 20 to 50 litre water.

The pH range of the water is adjusted according to the requirements of the specific organism used. In this case the pH was adjusted in a range of from about 6.0 to about 7.0.

Any suitable buffer that will not deleteriously affect the organism (s) may be used to reach and stabilize the pH range. For example in the above case acetic acid was used as a buffer to decrease the pH of the water. Lime may be used to increase the pH of the water.

The mixture/suspension of water and fungus inoculant is applied to suitable paper sheets, for example 60g paper sheets although kraft paper or newsprint may also be used, by means of spraying, dusting or rolling. In the case of this example, spraying was used to ensure that sufficient viable micro-organism is applied to the paper per cm2 to assure anti-pathogen activity.

The micro-organism may also be sprayed or otherwise applied to the interior surfaces of fresh produce containers.

It is important that the paper sheets/container material do not contain any harmful chemicals or substances to harm the micro-organism. It is also important that the paper sheets/container material are such as to keep the micro-organism viable for biological control of pathogenic organisms.

The treated sheets/container material were then examined to ensure the fungus inoculant was alive and viable. Such sheets/container panels were stored for several weeks and subsequent examination revealed that the fungus had remained alive and viable. In other words such treated sheets/containers may be dispatched to remote venues for example in other countries to be used for treating fresh produce post- harvesting.

EXAMPLE 3-Use of treated sheets and containers for citrus; The treated sheets (from EXAMPLE 2) were placed inside a fruit container (for example a citrus container) namely on the floor thereof in effect to provide a lower lining. Citrus was packed on top of the treated sheets and further sheets were placed vertically against the inside surface of the container in effect to provide four side linings. Alternatively, the inside surfaces of the container itself may be treated.

Thereafter another layer of treated sheets was placed on top of the citrus when the container was filled, in effect to provide an upper lining.

In tests conducted by the inventor, at reduced temperatures, it was found that the treated sheets, and/or the treated inside surfaces of the container, kept the citrus fresh and pathogen-free for at least 6 weeks. At ambient temperatures it was found that the treated sheets, and/or the treated inside surfaces of the container, kept the citrus fresh for at least two weeks.

The aforementioned provides a simple and effective means and method for keeping produce fresh, for example during transportation to international destinations. More particularly it will be understood that refrigerated shipping can be used for such transportation instead of costly airfreight.

EXAMPLE 4-Use of treated sheets and containers for grapes.

The treated sheets (from EXAMPLE 2) were placed inside a fruit container (for example a grape container) namely on the floor thereof in effect to provide a lower lining. Bunches of grapes provided in polyethylene bags having slits therein were placed on top of the treated sheets. Thereafter a second layer of treated sheets were placed on top of the bags in effect to provide an upper lining. The container itself may be treated on the inside surfaces thereof.

In tests conducted by the inventor, at reduced temperatures, it was found that the treated sheets, and/or the treated inside surfaces of the container, kept the grapes fresh and pathogen-free for at least 6 weeks. At ambient temperatures it was found that the treated sheets, and/or the treated inside surfaces of the container, kept the grapes fresh for at least two weeks.

The aforementioned provides a simple and effective means and method for keeping produce fresh, for example during transportation to international destinations. More particularly it will be understood that refrigerated shipping can be used for such transportation instead of costly airfreight.

It will therefore be seen from the above that a suitable means and method is provided by the invention for prolonging the effective shelf-life of fresh produce in a relatively simple, inexpensive and safe manner. The means and method are effective and generally exceed the results obtained from for example sulphur dioxide sheets and avoid the undesirable (and increasingly unacceptable) use of sulphur dioxide as a preservative substance.

Although certain embodiments only of the invention have been described herein, it will be apparent to any person skilled in the art that other variations and/or modifications of the invention are possible. Such variations and/or modifications are therefore to be considered as falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as herein claimed and/or described and/or exemplified.