Keeling Curve

Project Summary / Description:

Apeel Sciences is developing a scalable, plant-derived product to extend the shelf-life of fresh asparagus. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, one-third of the world‚ food produced for consumption goes to waste,(reference 1) and the wastage rate of fruits and vegetables is particularly high due to their perishability. When a piece of fruit goes to waste, all of the emissions embodied in growing, storing, packing and distributing the fruit are wasted as well. These embodied emissions are exceptionally high for asparagus, since the short shelf-life and high rate of water loss often necessitate distribution by air freight. Refrigeration and controlled atmosphere have been the primary technological solutions to reduce spoilage and waste throughout the supply chain, but these solutions are very resource-intensive themselves. Estimates from the International Institute of Refrigeration indicate that 15% of electricity consumed worldwide is used for refrigeration.(reference 2) Apeel is using life cycle assessment iteratively during product development to minimize the potential climate change impacts of the product itself in order to maximize the GHG emission reductions from reducing waste ‚ and therefore emissions ‚ throughout the asparagus supply chain. Apeel‚ technology, an edible, tasteless coating derived from plant material, offers a solution to reduce the resource and food security burdens of the food waste problem.

(1) http://www.fao.org/save-food/resources/keyfindings/en/
(2) Coulomb, D. 2008.Refrigeration and the cold chain serving the global food industry and creating a better future: Two key IIR challenges for improving health and environment. Trends in Food Science & Technology, 19, 413‚Äì417.

Best Estimate of GHG Avoidance/Reduction of This Project (Tonnes CO2 Equivalent/Year):

Mission Statement:

In the United States, over a third of all the food we grow is lost to spoilage and wasted before we can eat it. In the developing world, more than half of all produce is lost to spoilage before it can be consumed. Apeel Sciences creates agricultural solutions inspired by and derived from nature for growers to protect their crops and increase the shelf-life of harvested fresh produce. We are committed to being a technological and environmental trailblazer at the interface between the agricultural, materials science, chemistry, biotechnology, and engineering industries to eliminate food waste. Our mission is to enable widespread, positive impacts through the development of high-performance pre- and post-harvest products and processes that conserve our precious natural resources and safeguard the Earth‚ delicate ecological balance.

Apeel is comprised of highly talented, deeply passionate, and strongly tight-knit team members who are excited by the opportunity to challenge the status quo, are obsessed with solving problems, and truly seek to positively change how we feed the world. Our people are core and absolutely fundamental to our company‚ success and continued growth. Team members who are working tirelessly and selflessly‚Äînot to serve themselves‚Äîbut to help the team as a whole strategically, aggressively, and collectively realize a shared mission and vision.

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http://apeel.com https://www.linkedin.com/company/3961599/https://business.facebook.com/apeelsciences/