Spray-on plant-derived coating keeps produce fresh two to three times longer

You can now buy avocados at major grocery stores in the USA which have a spray-on plant-derived coating to keep them fresh.

Produce with this Apeel coating stays fresh two to three times longer, which enables more sustainable growing practices, better quality food, and less food waste.

The Apeel company says theirs is the only post-harvest solution that creates an optimal microclimate inside every piece of produce, for extended shelf life and transportability, with reduced reliance on refrigeration and controlled atmosphere.

The Apeel coating keeps moisture inside and oxygen out, which slows the rate of produce spoilage, and supports the plant’s natural abilities to protect against environmental stressors.

Growers using Apeel do not have to harvest before crops are ripe.

They can therefore allow fruits and vegetables to develop full quality, nutrition, flavour, appearance and texture, before they embark on the journey to the grocery store.

Apeel is made of plant-derived lipids and glycerolipids that exist in the peels, seeds, and pulp of the fruits and vegetables we already eat.

Therefore it is edible, safe to eat, and fully compliant with all US Food and Drug Administration regulations.

It is also colourless, odourless, and tasteless.

Apeel is distributed as a powder and mixed with water at the food packaging centre, where it can be applied by spray, dip, or brush-on methods.

Apeel Sciences products can be used on USDA certified organic produce.

The lipids on which Apeel is based are not a source of regulated allergens.

But consumers with a known allergy or sensitivity to a fruit or vegetable should continue to avoid it, whether or not it is an Apeel fruit or vegetable.

Apeel avocados are now available at major US grocery stores.

And it has been proven effective at improving the quality and shelf life of more than two dozen types of fruits and vegetables.

Apeel Sciences was founded in 2012 with a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

James Rogers, CEO of Apeel, won one of the four 2019 YPO Global Innovation Awards, for helping farmers and retailers maintain produce quality, and greatly reduce food, water, and energy waste, from farm to kitchen.

Apeel Sciences has also been recognised by US Rabobank Wholesale for their exceptional contribution to the food and agriculture industry.