NZ: Innovation cuts food waste & claims to double shelf life

An innovative New Zealand company has produced an ethylene trap to keep fruit and vegetables fresh and crisp in the fridge, saving money on the weekly family budget. beFresh packet absorbs and neutralises the natural ethylene gas emitted by fruit and vegetables as they ripen. The gas that accumulates in the home fridge eventually causes softening, wilting, decay and decline in taste of fresh produce.

In a UK poll of 2,116 adults, average families estimated wasting more than £270 a year (£5.20 a week) on discarded food. The survey carried out by Birds Eye with research by Wrap (Waste & Resources Action Programme) found that the figure was actually £680. Vegetables topped the list. In a recent research published in the Australia’s food and nutrition 2012 report, each Australian household, on average, throws out $616 of fruit and vegetables every year.

"Everyone goes the whole distance in maintaining the shelf life of produce, from the harvest to the packhouse to the importer and retailer," says Everfresh Partners manager, Pravin D’Lima. "The missing link in the supply chain is the domestic refrigerator. The ethylene emitting produce is chucked in the fridge with ethylene sensitive food, accelerating the ripening process. The result is huge wastage of good fresh food. Our product interrupts the ripening process and delays wilting and yellowing of leafy green vegetables such as celery, broccoli, lettuce and cabbage, and the softening of fruit. Kiwifruit for instance, is an 'enemy' of apples which emit the ethylene gas. beFresh will double the shelf life of fruit and vegetables in fridges."

A permeable sachet, weighing five grams, contains doses of potassium permanganate or sodium permanganate which absorbs the ethylene gas. It is covered by a varnished cardboard which is glued to make the packet moisture resistant. A suction cup is then inserted so the packet can be attached to the side of the crisper drawer, which contains the fruit and vegetables in the fridge.

beFresh is available in NZ supermarkets and the promoters want to expand availability to households all over the world. Initial International sales are aimed at European, Indian and Japanese customers with promotions and distributorships under negotiation.

For further information please contact:
Pravin D’Lima
Ever Fresh partners
Tel: +64 22 0112357
[email protected]
www.everfreshpartners.com