The sachets are kept in one of three Food Protectors and stored near fruit or vegetables.
An Israeli start-up has launched a new campaign on crowdfunding platform Kickstarter, as it seeks finance its novel method of preserving fruit and vegetables for longer.
A single patch of Phresh powder is designed to extend the shelf life of various fruits – including apples, grapes, strawberries and tomatoes – as well as vegetables such as cucumbers, potatoes, aubergines, peppers and mushrooms. There are also plans to add other fruits and vegetables to the list of foods protected by Phresh.
Based on over 12 years of research from the Israeli start-up BotanoCap, Phresh’s powder is composed out of essential oils – natural preservatives created by plants such as oregano, spearmint, mustard oil, and others. Using a patented micro-encapsulation procedure, each grain of the powder extends the effect of the preservatives to over a month. The powder dissolves into the atmosphere and creates a protective shield that extends the life of the produce, the company said.
The consumer initially places one of the powder sachets into one of three perforated Food Protectors, shaped as either an apple or a robot. Each package supplied by Phresh contains 12 sachets, which is enough for one year’s use. Each Food Protector is equipped with an LED lamp that changes colour over time, reminding the user to change the powder once every one or two months. After that, the consumer places the Food Protectors near fruit or vegetables – in the fridge, fruit bowl or on the countertop – and the powder begins to protect the produce from decay.
The Tel Aviv-based innovator is seeking $20,000 on Kickstarter to help further develop the product and bring it into large-scale production. With 30 days left to go, it has already raised almost half of the overall total from 150 separate investors.
As Phresh founder and CEO Amit Gal-Or explained, there is a global demand for products that reduce food waste: “Data released by UNEP and the World Resources Institute (WRI) show that one third of the food produced over the globe, which is worth around $1 trillion, is lost or wasted during its production or consumption,” Gal-Or said. “In the US alone, 30–40% of the food supply is wasted – more than 20 lbs of food per person per month.
“Phresh’s Kickstarter campaign will help us realise our vision of creating heroic solutions that make our personal lifestyles sustainable. Each household that will use Food Protectors will be able to save up to $400 per year from the loss of spoiled fruits and vegetables, while contributing to bettering humankind’s environmental footprint. Countless areas of our lives are touched by constant improvements – our TVs get better, our smartphones become faster, and the services we receive get quicker all the time. But food spoilage, which touches the lives of each one of us, hasn’t seen attractive improvements – until now.”
Phresh describes the powder sachets and Food Protector pods as “heroes of the kitchen”.
Gal-Or continued: “Heroes were important in my childhood and allowed me to dream of previously unimaginable things. When Phresh was created, our powder began to display almost magical power of seemingly increasing fruit and vegetable lives using organic materials. At that point my childhood came flashing back. Unimaginable things were happening in front of my eyes and I knew we had a hero on our hands. The Food Protectors are an embodiment of that, and we hope they can be each household’s little hero in the kitchen.”
The Food Protectors product combines attractive design with high-end organic technology to increase the shelf-life of fruits and vegetables by three times and allow people to enjoy healthier foods for longer periods of time. The system is based on an organic, non-toxic powder developed by Phresh, which dissolves into the atmosphere and eliminates bacteria and fungi while oxygenating the area. The powder is even safe to eat – although Phresh has said that it doesn’t have the best taste.
It is an “environmental and innovative” solution to the spoilage of fruits and vegetables in the home.
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