Supermarket Perimeter - January 2022 - 67

TECHNOLOGY
vegetable, the solution creates a
breathable coating.
Minute disruptions within
the coating act as a partial
barrier that allows for optimal
gas exchange, according to the
company. That slows down
the post-harvest maturation
and ripening processes and
subsequent degradation
and decay. It also solves the
problems that come with using
impermeable sealants.
The sustainable solution can
extend shelf life by up to several
weeks, saving plastic packaging,
extending shipment time and
drastically reducing loss of fresh
produce en route and once it
reaches commissaries and other
destinations, said Efrat BokerFerri,
Sufresca's CEO.
" Retailers and packaging
houses are seeking
cost-effective solutions to
reduce waste and are kind to the
planet, " said Boker-Ferri. " Our
natural formula can be easily
integrated into existing industry
equipment, is adaptable to the
various coating techniques and
is completely safe to use. While
we do offer a range of support
services and guidance, our
system is very straightforward
to implement, eliminating the
need for Sufresca personnel
to be on site, increasing its
affordability. "
The chaotic structure of
the company's coating was
inspired by the cuticle structures
that naturally layer plants to
protect them from extreme
environmental conditions and
from water loss, he added.
Sufresca developed a highfeasibility
business model for
straightforward application of its
solution into existing systems,
making its solution an attractive,
highly scalable, and convenient
option for producers, distributers,
and exporters of fresh produce
in the early stages of the supply
chain but can also be applied at
the later stages.
Between 40% and 60% of
fruits and vegetables produced
worldwide are lost or wasted
even before reaching consumers
due to spoilage. Sufresca's postharvest
solution, Boker-Ferri said,
is poised to change the game for
fresh produce storage from " farm
to fridge, " as well as for reducing
plastic use.
The creation of Sufresca is
the result of a 15-year R&D effort
led by the start-up's CSO, Amos
Nussinovitch, in his lab at the
Faculty of Agriculture, Food and
Environment at the Hebrew
University in Jerusalem. The
research team collaborated to
develop a sustainable solution
for fresh produce, which is
notoriously challenging to coat.
The team achieved its first
proof-of-concept for highly
perishable peppers known to be
sensitive to weight loss. From
there, more commodities were
added, including cucumbers,
mangoes, avocados and others.
" Each vegetable has its own
unique traits, " Nussinovitch said.
" In our search for the common
denominator that connects
the plant kingdom, these
physiological distinctions had to
be addressed. "
Sufresca recently received seed
investments by OurCrowd VC,
FEAT Investments and other ag
company investors.
2022 THE DELI
NEW BUSINESS
3 BAG
System
Final-Weight
Scale Shelf
(845) 331-2111 * delibuddy.com
© 2022 M&E Mfg. Co., Inc. Trademarks property of M&E Mfg. Co., Inc.
Covered by one or more of the following U.S.Patents: 5,330,064; 5,386,787; 5,471,922; 5,503,087; 5,628,522; 5,957,309; 6,149,120;
6,322,180; 6,366,313; 6,474,757; 6,974,042; 7,419,063; 9,440,667; D480,528; D481,513.Other U.S. & foreign patents pending.
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Supermarket Perimeter - January 2022

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