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'Coating+'

Nigerian biotech start-up introduces coating to combat malnutrition

Nigerian biotech start-up Coating+ has created a transparent gelatinous coating that is sprayed onto fresh fruit and vegetables to prolong their shelf life. It’s made using a combination of chitosan –a sugar which can be extracted from shrimp shells– along with soy protein and micronutrients, and its preservation qualities are set to save farmers money on unsold produce. They are focusing on using the spray on fruit and vegetables that don’t require peeling –such as tomatoes and grapes– so that the nutritional value of the coating is also consumed.

Malnutrition –in particular, micronutrient deficiency and protein-energy malnutrition– is a huge issue in some parts of Africa. Thirty-five percent of children under the age of 5 are stunted, and 24% are underweight due to lack of nutrient intake in their food and drink.

Source: geneticliteracyproject.org
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