Anti-fungal proteins for extending post-harvest shelf-life
Lytos Technologies has developed anti-fungal proteins that target specific spoilage molds to extend the shelf-life of finished food products. These proteins are validated for pre- and post-harvest applications and can be customized for selectivity, avoiding harm to beneficial components.
Overview
Lytos Technologies, Inc. has pioneered a platform for developing anti-fungal proteins aimed at extending the shelf-life of finished food products by targeting specific spoilage molds. These proteins are designed to inhibit mold growth both pre- and post-harvest, offering a tailored and effective solution that preserves the quality of food products without affecting beneficial probiotics or other components. By focusing on specific cell wall components of spoilage organisms, these proteins can be customized for selective action, enhancing food safety and longevity.
Technical specifications
Key features:
- Targeted action on specific spoilage molds, ensuring selectivity and efficacy
- Validated for use in complex food matrices, including meat and leafy greens
- Compatible with commercial-scale manufacturing using GRAS host organisms
- Initial toxicology studies completed, indicating no health risks
- Synergistic potential with other bioactive molecules to enhance antimicrobial activity
- More than 10 independent trials conducted to validate efficacy across applications
Technology readiness level
Currently at Technology Readiness Level 5, the anti-fungal proteins have undergone extensive validation in both laboratory and commercial-scale environments. The next steps involve further testing against a range of molds and conditions relevant to specific client needs, as well as scale-up testing to ensure commercial production feasibility. Lytos Technologies is actively seeking partners to collaborate on application-specific validations and commercial deployment.
About Lytos Technologies, Inc.
Lytos Technologies is a biosolutions platform company that engineers biology to address persistent challenges across water, food, agriculture, and health sectors. The company utilizes its proprietary LytosBI platform, which integrates computational modeling, data-driven design, and molecular biology, to develop technologies that dismantle biofilms and neutralize microbial pathogens. By focusing on fundamental biological mechanisms, Lytos creates targeted alternatives to traditional chemical approaches, aiming to provide solutions that are safer, more sustainable, and capable of performing in complex real-world environments. The company's core scientific foundation stems from research into novel anti-biofilm enzymes, which allow for the advancement of laboratory-validated innovations into scalable, field-ready biosolutions.
The company collaborates with industry, government, and institutional partners, such as the USDA and the University of Virginia, to translate scientific breakthroughs into practical applications. This partnership-driven approach ensures that their developments meet specific real-world requirements for performance, safety, and deployment. By replacing or enhancing conventional chemical methods with biological intelligence, Lytos seeks to resolve critical issues ranging from crop yield protection and food safety to environmental contamination, helping customers and stakeholders manage risks in diverse operating conditions. Through its efforts, the company aims to foster a healthier and more sustainable future by expanding the capabilities of engineered biology.
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