Observations
Observations: Persimmons Can Now Live to a Ripe Old Age

The shelf life of persimmons is about to undergo a revolution and the entire persimmon industry is on the verge of a breakthrough: within five years the total Israeli crop will double to 24,000 tons annually and 60 percent of the yield will be exported.

The persimmon, known as an extremely delicate fruit, can spoil very quickly, and its shelf life is particularly short. But a new chemical developed by a high school student in Kiryat Shmoneh is expected to significantly improve the fruit in terms of its preservation qualities.

The chemical was developed as a research project by a girl participating in the Young Scientist project at Kiryat Shmoneh's Danzig High School, and is being applauded by farmers who will be able to plant additional persimmon trees without having to worry about crop loss.

Professor Ruth Ben Aryeh, who supervises the group of young researchers, explains that the study proved that sulfuric dioxide prevented spoilage even once the fruit was ripe and edible.

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