SANTA BARBARA, CA – A new breakthrough in agricultural technology provides a natural way to protect produce from spoiling. An organic formula created by Apeel Sciences provides a micro-thin, invisible "peel" on the outside of fruit to protect it from external stressors.
A large quantity of harvested fruit and vegetables spoils before it reaches the consumer- over half in in most developing countries, and around 20% in countries that use advanced refrigeration systems. Saving produce from external stressors like excessive heat, dryness and humidity helps prevent spoilage, which in could have a huge impact on farming in terms of reduced water and energy use; if less food is wasted, less additional production resources are required.
The new technology is the result of extracting natural hydrogen-bonding molecules from agricultural waste products and creating an ultrathin organic barrier that helps keep moisture inside the fruit while keeping oxygen out.
In addition, the coating of altered vegetable molecules prevents mold and insects from recognizing it as food, helping to minimize retailer and distributor losses to pests.
From the consumer standpoint, the organic formula replaces waxes, dyes and questionable chemical preservatives, and is invisible, odorless and tasteless, and completely non-detectable.
Source: Apeel Sciences, Inc.
