Fresh Pod absorbs ethylene and can quadruple shelf life
The British firm Fresh Pod Ltd will present the new Fresh Pod at Fruit Logistica, in Berlin; a produ…The British firm Fresh Pod Ltd will present the new Fresh Pod at Fruit Logistica, in Berlin; a product that absorbs ethylene gas, consequently prolonging fruit and vegetable shelf life. "With this product, a lettuce can have up to 3 times a longer shelf life; in the case of broccolis, shelf life can be quadrupled," explains Rocío Jiménez, Fresh Pod's commercial manager in Spain.
The product consists of small OMRI-certified balls with a natural chemical formulation. These small balls are in bags of 5.8 to 28 grams, which are in turn covered by a protective package. The natural formulation they contain interacts with ethylene gas, turning it into manganese dioxide. "This way, once the product has been used, it becomes a natural fertiliser, so it generates no waste at all," she explains.
The product is patented by the American Davis University, where independent research was conducted in 1997. The developers of the patent are in charge of selling these products in the United States and Latin America via the website ethylenecontrol.com. Fresh Pod Ltd is the only firm with the patent in Europe. "We own the patent for over 50 European and northern African countries, where the firm has already established its expansion goals," explains Rocío Jiménez. "So far, Fresh Pod is already in markets such as the UK, Germany, Denmark and the Netherlands, and now our goal is to expand in Spain."
According to Rocío Jiménez, Fresh Pod Ltd, unlike other firms in the sector, specialises exclusively in ethylene control for fruits and vegetables, allowing for better focus and development. "One of Fresh Pod's advantages is its price, cheaper than other products in the market considering that it can also be used as fertiliser," she adds.
Fresh Pod is suitable for use in refrigerators, as well as for transport by road, air or sea.
