Approximately one-third of food produced for human consumption, most specifically fruits and vegetables, is wasted each year through their natural process of decay.
A startup called “Hazel Technologies” is hoping to change that with a simple insert placed in the packaging at the warehouse. Hazel believes their solution will provide a more sustainable, healthy, and versatile alternative to current practices used to extend food life.
Hazel’s packaging insert is called a “sachet” and gets placed in bulk boxes of produce after harvest. The sachet emits 1-methylcyclopropane gas to inhibit ethylene, which plants produce as they age. Keep in mind, different crops have different respiration rates and various production levels of ethylene, so there are different sachets for different produce types. Currently, Hazel has sachets for 14 different produce types, including avocados, mangos, plums, pears, and cantaloupe.
According to the company, the sachet combats spoilage and reduces fungal infection up to 40% in certain key commodities. It is currently estimated at least 20% of all fruits and vegetables produced are lost each year due to microbiological spoilage like rot, fungus, and bacteria, making this solution an essential step forward in reducing food waste. I’m told that last year, Hazel’s products were used with over 6.3 billion pounds of fresh produce, preventing more than 500 million pounds of food from going to the landfill.
With a successful track record being built, the USDA recently announced $600,000 in new funding for the organization. To date, the company has received five USDA grants, totaling $1.5 million, to continue the development of its technologies, as well as having closed a +$70 million Series C financing round last spring. With over $87 million raised to date and a very interesting solution that can help with a major problem, Hazel Technologies is an ag-tech company to watch moving forward. Click HERE to visit their website and learn more. (Source: thespoon, andnowuknow.com, prnwire.com)
