Fruit is an essential and very complete food, indispensable in a balanced diet. But a very prevalent and harmful problem in fruits is the growth of fungi and molds, in their growth, harvesting, transport and distribution. These fungi or mold, not only accelerate spoilage, but can also generate mycotoxins in fruits, causing allergies, asthma and infections in humans. In a study published in the International Journal of Food Microbiology (2005), 251 samples of fresh fruit, including several varieties of grapes, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries and citrus fruits, were analysed. These were disinfected, incubated at room temperature for up to 14 days without supplementary media, and then examined for mold growth. The results were alarming: fungal contamination levels ranged from 9 to 80%. For example, 35% of the grape samples tested were contaminated and supported fungal growth; while 83% of the citrus samples showed fungal growth at levels ranging from 25% to 100% of the fruit tested. This pathogen growth affects directly the fuit’s shelf life, producing large losses and contributing to food waste that has reached exorbitant levels, with an estimated 30-40% of food waste in the total of food available worldwide. It is because of these worrying facts, that providing a permanent solution to prevent mold and fungal growth in fruit is so important to us. After constant innovation and development, a safe and effective formula to prevent excessive mold growth on fruit has been found. It’s time for biotechnology to join the automation of food packaging and transport. Let’s save millions of tons of wasted food, throughout the food production chain, with a proven solution that increases significally the food’s shelf life. To learn more about this solution for the food industry, check out our Packaging section on our website.

Packaging

Tournas V.H., Katsoudas E. (2005). Mould and yeast flora in fresh berries, grapes and citrus fruits. International Journal of Food Microbiology, 105 (1), pp. 11-17.