System with potential to “drastically reduce” fresh salad product losses now available for customer trials.
Bielefeld, Germany – Fresh produce shelf-life specialist Food Freshly has showcased its innovative ‘In Field’ procedure for preserving freshly harvested salads to industry professionals for the first time in direct trials. The innovation delivers a revolutionary method for preserving the freshness and quality of salads immediately after harvesting.
As part of the BASF Nunhems 2024 Demo Days for salads, which took place in Cartagena, Spain from 12-16 February, Food Freshly offered visitors a closer look at a unique solution to the challenges of preserving freshly harvested salads. Applied close to harvesting or before salads enter storage, In Field works by preventing the oxidation of cut edges, in the process offering numerous advantages for growers, processors and retailers.
According to Benjamin Singh, Technical Director of Food Freshly, the In Field solution has the potential to drastically reduce product losses caused by the oxidation of salad leaves during transportation and storage.
He said: “We at Food Freshly are proud to be able to offer a unique solution with our new freshness preservation procedure specifically for salads.
“This innovation is the result of intensive research and development, and we firmly believe it will make a significant contribution to salad preservation. The feedback from the industry at the BASF Demo Days in the Netherlands and now also in Cartagena reinforces our research efforts.”
Extending shelf-life and improving quality
Food Freshly’s In Field procedure offers a range of benefits for growers and processors. By treating salads immediately after harvesting, spoilage and loss of quality are minimized, resulting in longer shelf life and higher product quality. In addition, the procedure enables more efficient logistics and storage, leading to a reduction in food waste and the improved availability of fresh salads.
The In Field solution showcase at the BASF Demo Days generated great interest and positive feedback among professionals in the agriculture and food industry, said Singh, adding that Food Freshly was looking forward to further advancing the groundbreaking innovation and shaping the future of salad preservation sustainably.
To further demonstrate the effectiveness of the procedure, Food Freshly is now making the solution available to customers on a limited basis for trials. The first trials in Europe are already scheduled. Food Freshly will also be presenting the innovation at Anuga FoodTec from March 19-22, 2024, and at MacFrut in Rimini, Italy from May 8-10, 2024.
Singh added: “We are excited about collaborating with industry professionals to shape the future of fresh fruit and vegetable processing sustainably. Through diligent research and development, Food Freshly contributes to continuously improving food safety in the fresh-cut sector.”
