Tel Aviv – Israeli start-up Phresh is raising funds to complete the building and delivery of its Food Protectors product, an organic and healthy solution that saves fruits and vegetables at homes from spoiling. Phresh has just launched a new Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign in order to raise $ 20,000 that will help the Israeli start-up provide what it calls the “Heroes of the Kitchen”, a concept which mixes sustainability and heroism.
The Food Protectors product combines attractive design with high-end organic technology to increase the shelf-life of fruits and vegetables by three times and allow people to enjoy healthier foods for longer periods of time. The product comes in the shapes of an apple (red or gold) and robot (white), in which Phresh’s powder is inserted.
The product is based on an organic, non-toxic powder developed by Phresh, which dissolves into the atmosphere and eliminates bacteria and fungi while oxygenating the area. As a result, no physical application upon the produce is required, and no additional smells or tastes can be sensed.
Currently, one single patch of Phresh’s powder is designed to extend the shelf-life of cucumbers, tomatoes, potatoes, eggplants, apples, lemons, lettuce, grapes, mushrooms, strawberries and peppers. More fruits and vegetables will be added soon.
Based on over 12 years of research at the Israeli start-up BotanoCap, Phresh’s powder is composed out of essential oils, which are natural preservatives created by plants, such as oregano, spearmint, mustard oil, and other plants. Using a patented micro–encapsulation procedure, each grain of Phresh’s powder extends the effect of the preservatives to over a month. The powder dissolves into the atmosphere and creates a protective shield that extends the life of the produce.
At the first stage, the consumer has to place one of the powder sachets, which come in every package, inside the Food Protector. Each package supplied by Phresh contains 12 sachets, which is enough for one year. Each Food Protector is equipped with a LED lamp that changes color over time, reminding the customer to change the powder each once every one or two months. After that, the consumer has to place the Food Protectors near his or her fruits and vegetables, whether in the fridge, basket, counter or bowl, and the powder starts protecting the produce.
“Data released by UNEP and the World Resources Institute (WRI) show that one third of the food produced over the globe, which is worth around $1 trillion, is lost or wasted during its production or consumption“, said Amit Gal-Or, founder and CEO of Phresh. “In the U.S. alone, 30% to 40% of the food supply is wasted – more than 20 pounds of food per person per month.”
According to Gal-Or, “Phresh’s Kickstarter campaign will help us realize our vision of creating heroic solutions that make our personal lifestyles sustainable. Each household that will use Food Protectors will be able to save up to $400 per year from the loss of spoiled fruits and vegetables, while contributing to bettering the humankind’s environmental footprint. Countless areas of our lives are touched by constant improvements – our TVs get better, our smartphones become faster, and the services we receive get quicker all the time. But food spoilage, which touches the lives of each one of us, hasn’t seen attractive improvements – until now.“
Sharing his personal story, Gal-Or added: “Heroes were important in my childhood and allowed me to dream of previously unimaginable things. When Phresh was created, our powder began to display almost magical power of seemingly increasing fruit and vegetable lives using organic materials. At that point my childhood came flashing back. Unimaginable things were happening in front of my eyes and I knew we had a hero on our hands. The Food Protectors are an embodiment of that, and we hope they can be each household’s little hero in the kitchen.“
