AgroFresh expands VitaFresh Botanicals line with organic product

AgroFresh Solutions Inc. has launched VitaFresh Botanicals Life Select, an organic plant-based coating to keep produce fresh longer and reduce food loss and waste.

Developed from the carnauba tree palm leaf, the new VitaFresh Botanicals Life Select formulation received organic certification from CAAE, an international certifier based in Spain. AgroFresh provides a full range of freshness solutions and digital technologies that enhance the quality and extend the shelf life of fresh fruits and vegetables.

Life Select is the newest addition to the company’s VitaFresh Botanicals portfolio of proprietary plant-based post-harvest solutions for a wide variety of crops from citrus to avocados to mangos. The new coating reduces dehydration, maintains weight and locks in freshness throughout the supply chain.

Recent trial testing of the product in avocados showed positive results both before and after ripening, including increased shelf life by two to three days, decreased internal browning by 50-67%, and improved internal appearance by 50%. These impacts on shelf life translate into an overall 50% reduction in waste.

“Our customers are looking for versatile solutions to address their most pressing operational and supply chain challenges in order to provide a consistent supply and the highest quality produce for consumers. Our focus is to help our customers with solutions that preserve freshness and minimize food loss and waste,” AgroFresh CEO Clint Lewis said in a news release. “Protecting our global food system has never been a more urgent charge. Advancements like VitaFresh Botanicals Life Select help us fulfill our promise to meet the world’s need for fresh, safe and abundant produce while reducing our impact on the environment.”

VitaFresh Botanicals Life Select ingredients are sustainably sourced and the product is created using certified ISO 14001 environmental management system standards. The new formulation has received CAAE organic certification according to (EU) Regulation 2018/848 on organic production. In addition, it is packaged in reusable containers. Excellent crop coverage at low application rates offers better cost efficiencies to operators and gives retailers a stronger opportunity to market the best quality produce using consumer-friendly claims, while reducing food waste, increasing profit potential and adding the capability to reduce the amount of plastic packaging needed for the produce, according to the release.

“Thanks to the dedication and formulation expertise of our scientific teams working around the world, we’re able to announce this important addition to our VitaFresh Botanicals portfolio,” Duncan Aust, chief technology officer, said in the release. “Now in addition to a full coatings product line that leverages natural and plant-based ingredients, we have an organic option that helps meet an increased demand for these types of solutions.”

AgroFresh operates seven innovation centers on four continents in key fruit growing regions and offers a full portfolio of post-harvest freshness solutions that meet the needs of growers and packers around the world. VitaFresh Botanicals products have exceptional quality, due in part to the company’s ISO 9001 quality management system certification. AgroFresh adds differentiating value by offering a comprehensive post-harvest portfolio, a complete range of packinghouse equipment, one-to-one problem-solving support and a high-touch service model.