Buying produce, and then having it quickly go bad, is a common disappointment for many.
One Israeli startup has developed a solution that keeps fruits and vegetables fresh for longer without changing or adding anything to the produce themselves.
Ness Ziona-based Liva has developed a sticker that when applied to the package, can extend the freshness of fruits and vegetables for up to another seven days.
The sticker was created by Ifat Hammer, co-founder and CTO, drawing on her expertise in food engineering and biotechnology. She figured that instead of modifying the produce itself, “good” bacteria that was already present in the fruit or vegetable could be used to delay the growth of “bad” bacteria.
To do so, she and co-founder and CEO Ifat Peled Dinstag worked on making a four-layered sticker, a little larger than a postage stamp, which contains a proprietary prebiotic formula that attracts “good” bacteria known as bacillus subtilis.
The difference in the time it takes to decompose is clearly visible (Courtesy)
Bacillus subtilis is a bacterium that naturally grows in soil and water, and, unlike many other bacteria, does not possess traits that can cause disease.
“They are considered to be environmental bacteria and the sticker is like a food station for them,” Peled Dinstag tells NoCamels.
The prebiotic in the sticker feeds this bacteria, helping it grow and reproduce quickly. And once it grows, it prevents other harmful bacteria from completely taking over, hence keeping the produce better for longer.
Peled Dinstag explains, however, that harmful bacteria is not killed off and will eventually still grow and cause the produce to go bad. But the difference in the time it takes to decompose is clearly visible when comparing a control group of produce and a group using the Liva sticker.
“We don’t kill [the bacteria], it is very important to say that there is some growth, but it’s not the same rhythm,” she says.
The Liva formula, a trade secret, was the most challenging part for the team. Finding one that could work and bring the desired reaction was complicated.
The formula also takes into consideration water and weather, two factors that often make food go bad faster.
Water helps good bacteria reach the sticker, by stimulating the prebiotic that attracts it, and the moisture found naturally in produce is used in this way.