An identity card laser-etched onto the skin of the fruit

While conveying information on the fruit's peel is nothing new for kiwis, melons and watermelons, the same cannot be said for fruits considered more delicate, such as stone fruits. This is the case of Ondine nectarines in France.

"During a recent visit to the south of France," says consultant and category buyer and educator Stefano Maccioni, "I came across these Ondine nectarines in a store and was amazed.

"The varietal name, Ondine, and the country of origin, France, is imprinted on the peel. I asked for information and was told that it is a CO2 laser engraving, which stays on the surface and does not affect the deeper layers of the peel. And I have verified it myself."

Maccioni has a long experience in the fruit and vegetable sector. His background runs in a family of wholesalers (his grandparents) and retailers (his father), and he was in charge of gdo chains for the fruit and vegetable category. "Because of this background and training, whenever I'm in a new place, I never miss going to the fruit and vegetable stores and look at what's new."

"This branding on stone fruit seems very effective and simple. It avoids stickers or the need to read information on packaging, brochures or leaflets. Each fruit can thus carry its own identity card. By the way, I bought a few of them and they were very good, so a consumer will certainly repeat the purchase without forgetting which fruit it was. For the record, nectarines cost €4.80/kg at a major store in a known touristic resort. Therefore, the price was in line with the location.”

For Maccioni, this kind of labeling is an avenue that needs to be pursued in Italy as well. "The technologies are already in place; they just need to be applied in the best possible way. Technically, only an infinitesimal part of the surface color is removed, and the fruit remains of excellent quality. In France this is gaining momentum, because there is a law that prohibits stickering with non-compostable material."

"In the future, supermarket chains could have a lot of information etched on fruits, including the corresponding key number on the scale for weighing the goods. I say this because we should not be afraid of innovations and new milestones that such technologies would enable us to achieve,” he concluded.