Electrically charged solution increases produce shelf life
Research trials into prolonging the life of fresh produce have shown an electrically charged solution can kill bacteria and stave off spoilage.
The shelf life of raw fruit and vegetables increased by up to one day as part of the University of West England (UWE Bristol) study.
Testing was carried out in cold storage and showed dousing fresh produce in the solution had no effect on the taste or appearance of the fruit and vegetables and is harmless to human skin.
The solution is activated by passing salty water through an electro-chemical cell.
In particular, tomatoes and cucumbers responded very well and the solution was also tested on carrots, peppers, potatoes and tropical fruit.
Professor of health and environment, Darren Reynolds, who pioneered the potentially 'world-changing technology', says it could be commercially implemented within a year if the food industry is convinced by its benefits.
"For some types of produce, we could make a significant impact. We could demonstrate scientifically it would impact on the quality of food in terms of how long it can be stored," he says.
"Ultimately, it will make the whole production, distribution and sale process more efficient. That's where I have to head to, a more sustainable world where we are wasting a lot less.
"The waste is not just the bits you put in the bin, the whole chain around waste is growing."
The project first began in 2013 and has seen academics team up with food suppliers and supermarkets, and is now in the 'persuasion' phase.
"If you really want to change the world, one of the things you could do is extend the shelf life of a cherry tomato by one day.
"That sounds like a dismissive thing to say but it would allow producers to be more strategic in the way they crop and give them more time to distribute before it goes off and gets spoiled.
"Such small things can actually make a huge difference in the whole food supply chain."
The project, named Microbial Management of Fresh Produce Prevention, attracted £250,000 (US$31,386) of funding through the British government's Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra).
"People who have a stake in this industry need to adopt it in a way which has end users on board. They have to convince the end users, including supermarkets, that this is a good idea.
"It's important because the world produces four billion tons of food and as much as 40% of that never reaches the human tummy.
"It's possible we can apply this technology in other spheres as well, like potato blight, which is a problem is parts of Canada."
Photo: www.shutterstock.com
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