K A S H R U T . C O M_©

Startup Apeel is launching ‘plastic-free’ cucumbers at Walmart to cut back on waste

September 21, 2020: from The Fortune

"English cucumbers—the long, seedless, thin-skinned kind—are the poster child for the tradeoff that has long plagued shoppers in the produce aisle. In order to protect their fragile exteriors, each is wrapped in two grams of plastic, the equivalent of five plastic straws."

"Therein lies the dilemma: Fruits and veggies encompassed in single-use plastic prolongs shelf life but adds to the enormous amount of trash that ends up in landfills and oceans. Yet the alternative—produce without plastic—can mean more spoilage and food waste."

"The startup, founded by Rogers in 2012 with a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, has partnered with vegetable grower Houweling’s Group to produce “plastic-free” English cucumbers that will launch in more than 100 Walmart locations this month."

"The cucumbers will be coated in an edible substance that Apeel has made from materials found in plants (think banana leaves), creating an invisible barrier that can’t be seen, felt, or tasted. This layer extends shelf life by keeping moisture inside the cucumber and keeping oxygen out—two factors that lead to spoilage."

"Apeel’s first product, avocados, are sold in the likes of Kroger, but its cucumber launch with Walmart is its first partnership with the largest seller of food in the U.S. Walmart sells almost 25% of the country’s fresh produce."

Ed. note: from Apeel: "Apeel is not certified Kosher; however, the ingredients used to manufacture Apeel are not derived from animal sources."

An (Edible) Solution to Extend Produce’s Shelf Life

December 13, 2016: from The New York Times

Apeel Sciences is using leaves, stems, banana peels and other fresh plant materials left behind after fruits and vegetables are picked or processed to extend the life of produce like green beans and berries by as much as five times. Apeel can even deliver a day-of-the-week bunch of bananas, each ripening on a different day.
"Apeel’s products, sold under the brand names Edipeel and Invisipeel, take plant materials and extract all liquids from them to produce tiny pellets. The company then uses molecules from those pellets to control the rate of water and gases that go in and out of produce, thus slowing down the rate of decay."
"Invisipeel can be applied while crops are still in the field. Edipeel can be applied after a harvest; crops can be coated while on a conveyor belt or dipped in the solution."