Xinjiang is renowned for its fruits—Turpan grapes, Hami melons, and Korla fragrant pears are widely praised. However, for a long time, the region's remote location and relatively low levels of processing and preservation technology have made it difficult for these distinctive agricultural products to reach distant consumer markets. In 2019, the Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Agricultural Products Processing and Preservation was established, operating under the Institute of Agricultural Products Processing at the Xinjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences.
Wu Bin, Director of the laboratory, stated that the facility focuses on supporting high-quality development in Xinjiang's agricultural sector. It conducts fundamental research and technological innovation aimed at reducing loss, increasing value, and extending the industrial chain for local fruits and vegetables, thereby providing crucial scientific support for upgrading the storage and processing of agricultural products in the region.
Recently, a visit to the laboratory revealed how Xinjiang's fruits undergo preservation processing before entering broader domestic and international markets.
Upon entering the pilot workshop, attention was drawn to a batch of dried apples that had just completed shelf-life testing. Externally, these dried apples appeared similar to ordinary ones, but they possessed excellent preservation qualities—resistant to spoilage and suitable for long-term storage.
According to Wu Bin, this improved preservation is due to a vacuum fumigation technology developed by the research team. This method can be applied not only to dried fruits but also to fresh produce, effectively addressing the high post-harvest loss rates common with Xinjiang fruits. Traditional preservation methods, such as waxing or bagging, mainly protect the surface, but internal deterioration over time limits their effectiveness.
To fundamentally tackle the issue of quality loss, the team turned their focus inward. Over the past decade, researchers have studied the post-harvest aging mechanisms of local fruits like grapes, Hami melons, apricots, and prunes, analyzing physiological changes and molecular regulation pathways. Based on their findings, they proposed a novel idea: using negative pressure to remove air from inside the fruit and replace it with a specially formulated preservative, achieving long-term preservation while retaining original flavor and quality.
After numerous experiments and adjustments, the team successfully developed the vacuum fumigation preservation technique. Using this method, the shelf life of fruits such as prunes and apricots can be extended to over four months and two months, respectively. The technology was included in the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs’ 2023 “Spark Technology” achievements database.
Developing suitable equipment posed another challenge. Given the varying characteristics of different fruits, the research team conducted years of monitoring in both laboratory and production settings, eventually building a preservation database containing over 200 parameters. This allowed a single device to be adjusted for numerous fruit types. To meet industrial needs, the team also spent five years developing a modular unit that cut processing time from three hours to one and increased batch capacity from one ton to five tons, facilitating practical application.
With mature technology and equipment in place, Wu Bin’s team began promoting the method across Xinjiang. The technique has reduced post-harvest loss of prunes by 80%, and extended freshness has enabled off-season sales, significantly increasing market value. Compared to traditional methods, this approach not only cuts costs but also preserves natural sweetness, achieving true “freshness without loss of flavor.” Efforts are now underway to expand its use into other sectors.
The technology has also shown promise with Cistanche, a medicinal plant native to Xinjiang rich in active compounds. Traditional repeated drying methods often lead to significant loss of these beneficial components. By applying vacuum fumigation to fresh Cistanche slices, researchers have preserved most active ingredients, enhancing its medicinal quality. Notably, this preservation technology is now expanding beyond Xinjiang, with collaborative intentions reached with partners in Chongqing and Yunnan.
While tackling preservation challenges, research teams at the Xinjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences have also used the laboratory’s pilot platforms to develop and transfer advanced processing technologies.
Zhang Ting, a researcher at the academy, pointed out that while high-temperature sterilization is commonly used in fruit and vegetable juice processing, it is not suitable for all types. Improper application can greatly reduce nutritional value and damage unique flavors. To address this, her team developed a green non-thermal stabilization technology for fruit processing that achieves sterilization, preservation, quality stability, and nutrient retention without high heat.
One successful application is with the “Old Man Melon,” a local Xinjiang variety known for its soft texture and sweet taste. Zhang’s team developed a processing method for Old Man Melon juice. To solve issues like sedimentation and layering, they invented a technique using self-derived melon peel nanocellulose to eliminate precipitation. This stabilizes the juice without affecting flavor, a key step toward commercial production. The method is also being used in watermelon juice processing. A pilot base has been established with a Kashgar-based company, enabling batch production of Old Man Melon juice, with products set to enter the market starting in 2025.
Building on this success, the team has turned to sea buckthorn, a nutritious fruit that presents processing difficulties. In the laboratory’s refrigerators, bottles of golden sea buckthorn juice are neatly stored. Zhang explained that without targeted processing techniques, sea buckthorn products often suffer from unstable quality, high nutrient loss, and poor solubility. To overcome these issues, the team developed specialized methods to improve production efficiency and product quality.
After small- and pilot-scale tests, Zhang’s team signed a technical service agreement with a Xinjiang company to support quality control and new product development of sea buckthorn items, ensuring safe and reliable products reach the market.
Over the years, Zhang’s team has focused on characteristic fruits, nuts, and unique botanical resources, studying nutritional active substances and functional components. They have established technical systems such as cold-pressing and supercritical extraction of walnut oil, and full-chain processing of sea buckthorn by-products, developing a range of products that help transition Xinjiang’s agricultural goods from primary processing to high-value, functional utilization.