EPA OKs Pace International’s BioSpectra for organics

Pace International, a sustainable postharvest solutions and technologies provider for the fresh produce industry, announced that BioSpectra® 100 SC is now listed by the Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI) for organic use in the U.S.

The announcement comes six years after the introduction of the product when the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the California Department of Pesticide Regulation (CDPR) approved the product for postharvest applications.

BioSpectra received its OMRI Listed® seal after completing the rigorous certification process and requirements set forth for organic crop production use.

BioSpectra is the latest biorational fungicide to be organically certified for postharvest applications. It provides a broad-spectrum decay control against several major fungal postharvest diseases across various crops and has shown better disease control compared to other organic alternatives.

This highly effective, natural decay control agent has received an exemption from tolerance (MRL) for current agricultural applications in the U.S and it has shown no resistance development over the past decades of use in food.

“As the world’s needs continue to evolve, effective biological solutions will play a key role in protecting the quality and marketability of fresh produce. We are proud to continue to bring innovative sustainable solutions to our customers and the fruit packing industry, something that we strive for every day,” Jorge Gotuzzo, senior director of marketing, said in a news release.

This natamycin-based fungicide is the result of the fermentation process of naturally occurring soil micro-organisms and provides a new mode of action, inhibiting pathogen growth.