SAVRpak launches moisture control technology to extend shelf life of berries, leafy greens, cucumbers

In a 14-day trial, blackberries are shown without SAVRpak (left) and with SAVRpak (right).
In a 14-day trial, blackberries are shown without SAVRpak (left) and with SAVRpak (right).
(SAVRpak)

Technology company SAVRpak has announced the launch of SAVRpak Drop-In.

The product is described by the company as “the first-ever moisture-control technology that extends the shelf life and freshness of produce up to four times,” according to a news release.

By eliminating condensation, the SAVRpak Drop-In reduces premature molding, wilting and spoilage of peel-less and packaged produce, according to the release. Successful trials have been completed with Divine Flavor, RCG Fruits and Agrovision, the release said, and Frubana is also testing the solution.

The SAVRpak Drop-In is a thermodynamic, biodegradable, chemical-free pouch that is placed in produce packaging before being sealed, the release said. 

Within just one minute, SAVRpak’s Atmospheric Control and Transmission technology removes 50% of condensation and then continues to keep condensation from forming by absorbing excess moisture and purifying the atmosphere within the package to slow the aging process, the release said. 

By controlling the oxygen and carbon dioxide levels, the moisture that leads to sogginess, mold and harmful microbial bacteria is eradicated, enabling produce to maintain its freshness up to four times longer, the release said.

“We’re excited to be able to address an area of food preservation that has been unachievable to date, and that’s the ability to extend the life of peel-less produce like berries and leafy greens,” SAVRpak co-CEO Grant Stafford said in the release. “Building on our success in the foodservice delivery realm, we have successfully transformed the basic technology to address a category that lacked a solution to keep food fresh for longer while reducing food waste – a top culprit of greenhouse gas emissions.”

SAVRpak has been using the technology for takeout and delivery foods, such as french fries, pizza and burgers, that too often get cold and soggy in route from restaurant to home, the release said. A recent partnership with Sysco is also expanding SAVRpak’s footprint by bringing its technology to independent and regional restaurant chains nationwide.

The SAVRpak Drop-In produce solution will first roll out in the U.S. and Latin America with berry suppliers that have undergone successful trials proving the efficacy of the technology in extending the shelf life of produce, the release said.

 Trials took place with Divine Flavor for table grapes, RCG Fruits for blackberries and Agrovision for blackberries, blueberries and raspberries.

Frubana, a farm-to-restaurant tech company, is also testing SAVRpak’s thermodynamic technology with the intent to maintain freshness of the produce it ships to restaurants throughout Latin America, according to the release.

“We saw the most amazing results through our berry trials with SAVRpak,” RCG Fruits General Director Fernando Garibay said in the release.

“Blackberries in particular are very delicate, and often experience postharvest reddening and other changes in visual appearance and taste which reduces marketability and results in waste. This is a challenge the industry has not been able to solve, but SAVRpak proved to keep our berries’ beautiful color intact and kept them fresh for longer, maintaining the quality our customers count on.”

In preliminary trials, SAVRpak has proven to extend the shelf life of golden berries by 10-plus days, blackberries by seven-plus days, raspberries by four to five-plus days and strawberries by four-plus days, the release said. 

In addition, a 2021 lab test with the University of California, Davis, revealed that romaine lettuce stored with SAVRpak had significantly less condensation and moisture in the bags, and had lower water soaking, decay and wilting scores compared to control samples. UC Davis also found that SAVRpak decreased the bacteria found in lettuce across all storage protocols and evaluation days compared to control samples. In the coming months, SAVRpak will begin cucumber trials with Agrizar.

 

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