Extension of shelf life
The need for longer shelf life in foodsThe worldwide demand for food has been increasing year after year, and often, they are produced far from the places of consumption. Food spoilage is a growing global economic problem, with annual losses of up to one-third of food in high-income countries and up to 75% in developing countries.
As consumers expect foods to have a reasonable shelf life, it is necessary to ensure a shelf life of 30 to 45 days after purchase for products with a shelf life of between 3 and 4 months. A short shelf life restricts production scheduling, raw materials, transportation, and supply chain. Therefore, extending the shelf life of foods is essential to ensure the quality and continuous availability of food worldwide.
What aspects reduce the shelf life of food?
Mechanical, physical, chemical, and microbiological damages can affect food quality, and these damages can occur during harvest, processing, or distribution due to poor handling.
Bumps during harvest and post-harvest can cause rotting in fruits and vegetables, while moisture condensation or a humid atmosphere favors microbial growth and insect development.
Microbial growth leads to spoilage, with the appearance of undesirable sensory characteristics and unpleasant odors.
Drawbacks of current solutions to extend shelf life
The most basic techniques for extending the shelf life of foods include refrigeration, freezing, and thermal treatments. However, these techniques have limitations since bacteria can grow at low temperatures, survive freezing, and some spores can withstand high temperatures. Additionally, these techniques can affect the sensory quality, texture, juiciness, and taste of foods, as well as cause damage, vitamin losses, and unpleasant odors.
Other more recent technologies such as high hydrostatic pressures, ultraviolet light, ultrasonication, irradiation, or cold plasma have been developed to eliminate microorganisms and extend the shelf life of foods. However, these technologies require expensive and complex equipment, high-security facilities, and their application is limited to certain types of foods or surface treatments.
Some antimicrobials, such as lactic, peracetic, or acetic acid, are used in the food industry. However, these organic compounds are corrosive, potentially toxic, and can irritate the skin or respiratory system, requiring special handling and storage, as well as being diluted for application. Additionally, these antimicrobials can affect the organoleptic characteristics of foods.
AdTech technology for extending the shelf life of foods
The AdTech technology utilizes hypochlorous acid as an active principle, which is an effective bactericide against a wide variety of microorganisms, including bacteria, fungi, spores, and viruses. This acid penetrates the cell wall and breaks biofilms, resulting in the destruction of bacteria. Unlike other disinfectants, hypochlorous acid does not generate bacterial resistance, as it physically eliminates microorganisms. Additionally, it does not contaminate the environment and breaks down into salt and water after use.
AdTech technology has been approved by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for use in disinfecting drinking water, and by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for direct food disinfection without the need for rinsing. It is safe for use in treating meat, poultry, pork, fish, processed meat products, fruits, vegetables, and eggs, and does not alter the organoleptic properties of foods.
Advantages of our technology
AdTech technology offers several advantages compared to other antimicrobials used in the food industry. It is a substance that is naturally produced in the human body by white blood cells, making it a non-toxic and harmless option for humans at the concentrations applied to foods but lethal to bacteria, viruses, fungi, and spores.
In addition, its application replaces the handling of concentrated chemicals, which are corrosive and potentially toxic, ensuring the safety of operators and employees. It is also authorized for use in organic crop production by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA).
Success cases
Increase in shelf life of fruits and vegetables
Applying AdTech technology resulted in a 27% increase in the shelf life of fruits and vegetables, and a 30% reduction in water consumption, as its application doesn’t require rinsing for consumption.
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increase
Increase in shelf life of fresh fish
By immersing fresh refrigerated fish in AdTech technology for 5 minutes, the appearance of decomposition symptoms was delayed, and the shelf life was extended by two days compared to untreated fresh fish.
Reduction of contamination in fresh chicken
Applying AdTech technology directly on samples of fresh chicken resulted in a 99.999% reduction of bacterial load in 4 microorganisms studied (Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella spp, and Listeria monocytogenes).
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reduction of bacterial
Reduction of post-harvest fruit rot
Success in Preventing Peach Decomposition by Surface Sterilization as an Alternative to Sterilizing Chemicals.
Increase in shelf life of meat products
Our technology was able to increase the shelf life of meat products by 42%.
%
increase shelf life
Increase in shelf life of dairy products
Applying AdTech technology resulted in a 25% increase in the shelf life of dairy products.
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increase shelf life of dairy products
reach us
Let's change the toxic way of doing things.
Avenida Presidente Kennedy 7900, Oficina 904, Vitacura, Santiago, Chile
+569 6642 4699
contacto@stage.adcleantech.com