AGOURA HILLS, CA, UNITED STATES — Restaurants, delis, hotels, grocery stores, convenience stores now have a way to offer fresh cut sandwich set-ups that lasts up to 500 times longer with eatFresh-FC, a blend of organic minerals, fruit acids, and vitamins that prevent oxidation while controlling the growth of yeast, mold and coliform bacteria that can result from aging food.
In a 14-day test, sliced tomato, chopped onions and cut Romaine lettuce were treated with eatFresh-FC and held with no organoleptic change, while yeast, mold, and coliform bacteria remained well under the required threshold.
“It really is visually stunning to see the side by side next to the control in our testing. Having worked in the restaurant world for years, I know it’s cost-efficient and convenient way for food service companies to get strategic about their purchasing and prepping. Since eatFresh-FC can help those sandwich staples last so much longer, maybe you prep once or twice a week instead of everyday,” commented Mareya Ibrahim, Founder, and CEO, eatCleaner®. “As a company, we have been dedicated to food safety and freshness solutions for over a decade, and now, with the rise in popularity of fresh-cut produce, this is an organic, clean label solution that can help companies innovate new products and gain added distribution at a fraction of a penny per serving. And the flavor of eatFresh-FC leaves no aftertaste on the cut produce. As a chef, this was extremely important to me as I was developing the product with my father, an environmental scientist,” added Ibrahim.
The average shelf life for fresh-cut lettuce is 3-5 days and for tomatoes, it’s 2-3 days. eatFresh-FC can offer 500%+ additional shelf life, saving processors money and keeping food out of landfills. According to the USDA, about 83% of waste comes from homes, food service companies, retailers, and restaurants. eatFresh-FC can help eliminate millions of pounds of waste in the US alone annually.
Ibrahim added that she also developed an approach to packaging the tomatoes to help avoid damaging the slices. “Our customer was concerned that the treated slices would ‘bleed’ out and become mushy, so we created an approach and protocol to protect the tomatoes and deter damage. We love problem solving our customers and welcome the opportunity to think strategically with them,” noted Ibrahim.
eatFresh-FC can also be used in food preparations such as dips, sauces, and ready-to-eat products, thus extending the application of shelf life extension and sensory preservation to other food categories. It has been proven effective on a range of products, from coleslaw to hummus, sushi to chicken lettuce cups. Shelf-life extension of guacamole to 21 days, fruit bowls to 21 days, and apple slices to 26 days have all been proven by 3rd party labs. Also, no special equipment is required to use GGI’s patented solutions.
“Organic food waste and the billions of pounds that are thrown into landfills annually have a significant impact on the environment. As the industry pursues ways to prolong shelf life and offer ready-to-eat solutions for a growing audience desiring convenience, eatFresh-FC will play a critical role and fills a hole that has not been filled in the industry,” mentioned Dr. Shawki Ibrahim, co-inventor, GGI. “Aside from eatFresh-FC, we also produce eatFRESH-FCA, specifically designed for cut avocados and apples, and eatCleaner®, an organic way to cleanse produce and also extend shelf life up to 5x longer. Offering these consumer and commercial solutions will open up distribution channels and help utilize food more efficiently to help prevent hunger and waste,” added Ibrahim.
eatFresh-FC is available in a 3 oz. individual-use packet and in a bulk 50 lb. bag for food processors, retailers, and foodservice companies.
eatCleaner® offers a full line of patented, lab-proven, and organic products for home and foodservice use, including produce washes, wipes, and anti-browning products for cut produce, including avocados, apples, melons, and berries.
For more information on eatCleaner® food safety and freshness solutions, lab tests, and specs, please contact eatCleaner at info@eatcleaner.com.
