Food tech from Poland has a solution that can retain champignon freshness for 14 days. New trials commissioned by Fresh Inset indicated also that its technology slows down mushroom browning. This advancement may empower the industry to improve profitability by extending the shelf-life of fresh mushrooms. This technology can contribute to the global food waste battle.
In 2021, the global mushroom market was valued at USD 50.3 billion, with a projected steady growth rate of 9.7% annually from 2022 to 2030[1]. Champignon mushrooms are a significant part of this market. Poland is a key player on the international stage for champignon mushroom production. Every third champignon exported worldwide comes from Poland – the value of exports in 2021 amounted to 397.3 million euros and it has been on a growing path[2].
We are happy to announce that Vidre+™ technology has ushered mushrooms into the same realm of extended freshness, as it has for a number of fruits and vegetables. A recent university study showed the powers of our technology in maintaining the quality of sliced mushrooms (Agaricus bisporus) during storage. The advantages of employing timed and gradual 1-MCP-release Vidre+™ stickers encompass a reduction in weight loss, safeguarding against browning throughout shelf life, preservation of firmness and protection of Vitamin C content that all add up to enhanced overall shelf life quality.” – says Tim Malefyt, CTO at Fresh Inset.
Vidre+™ technology represents an innovative, patented system designed to facilitate the gradual and timed release of 1-MCP from the packaging itself, spanning a 30-hour period using a simple sticker inside of packaging. This state-of-the-art approach is activated by the humidity present within the packaged product. The technology is a defense mechanism against post-harvest deterioration of produce.
Currently in use in Argentina, Vidre+™ technology is securing regulatory approval in essential food production markets across the Americas, Africa, and Europe. By harnessing the potential advantages of Vidre+™, the company aspires to establish a novel standard for post-harvest preservation within the food industry.
Trials on mushrooms were commissioned by Fresh Inset and led in Poland by professor Dorota Wichrowska from the University of Science and Technology in Bydgoszcz and reported in her research report: “Assessment of the impact of using different doses of 1-MCP in Vidre+™ technology on the commercial value and quality characteristics of whole and sliced mushrooms (Agaricus bisporus)”, January 2023.
The research has shown the positive effect of using Vidre+™ technology on protecting mushroom quality. The sliced mushrooms treated with 1-MCP retained their commercial value for 14 days, while whole mushrooms for 20 days after harvest. The use of Vidre+™ stickers has had a positive impact on retention of firmness, smaller weight loss, and smaller changes of vitamin C in comparison to untreated whole and sliced mushrooms.
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About Fresh Inset
Fresh Inset S.A. (joint-stock company) is a food- tech from Toruń, Poland founded in 2017 by scientists from Synthex Technologies and developed by an international team that consists of a group of experienced scientists, agronomists, engineers, packaging sector experts, and IP lawyers around the globe, in such countries as the United States, Argentina, Brazil, Peru, and Poland. The company has developed and patented a unique Vidre+TM technology for extending the freshness of harvested fruit, vegetables, and flowers. The Company’s product has been patented in more than 50 countries. Fresh Inset is a member of the International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA) and Greentown Labs. In May 2023 Fresh Inset was awarded the Eagle of Innovation – a competition organized by Rzeczpospolita business daily, recognizing the most innovative companies in the Polish economy. The company was recognized as the “Start-up with potential Poland – World”.
Vidre+TM is the breakthrough next-generation application of 1-MCP technology, which exponentially expands the benefits of produce preservation by mitigating the effects of ethylene. The research conducted on 5 continents proves that the technology works on various crops and varieties from avocados to grapes, limes, pears, tomatoes, peppers, and many more. Vidre+™ brings a timed and gradual release mechanism that allows produce to be treated by 1-MCP directly in packaging, eliminating the need for a 24-hour application in a sealed storage room or air-tight containers. Available as coated stickers, labels, and films, the technology enables the use of 1-MCP on all produce and opens up types of produce that are known to respond to 1-MCP, but have not received the benefit due to the application limitations of 1st generation of 1-MCP products (which have immediate release and need to be applied in airtight storage for 24 hours or airtight packaging).
[1] Source: https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/mushroom-market
[2] Source: https://forsal.pl/gospodarka/artykuly/8520064,eksport-pieczarek-z-polski.html
