Edible coating technology from seaweed for extending produce shelf-life
Innovative seaweed extract-based edible coating designed to reduce post-harvest food loss by extending the shelf-life of fresh produce, leveraging green engineering and blue farming for environmental sustainability.
Overview
This technology introduces an innovative edible coating derived from seaweed extracts aimed at significantly reducing post-harvest food loss while extending the shelf-life of fresh produce. By integrating green engineering approaches and utilizing seaweed, a sustainable and potentially carbon-neutral resource, this technology offers an environmentally friendly solution to the challenge of food waste. The application of this coating could save economies like the US billions in revenue losses and reduce greenhouse gas emissions associated with food waste decomposition.
Technical specifications
Key features:
- Derived from seaweed extracts, offering a sustainable, carbon-neutral solution
- Utilizes green chemistry and engineering for low-carbon footprint manufacturing
- Patent-pending precision sprayer reduces material usage by up to 6x and speeds up the drying process by 4x
- Targets fresh produce to reduce food loss by over 50% and extend shelf-life to twice or longer
Applications:
- Suitable for use in fruit orchards, packhouses, and greenhouses
- Potentially applicable to a variety of fresh produce types, particularly strawberries
Technology readiness level
This technology is currently at TRL 4, having been demonstrated on a small lab-scale. The next steps involve scaling up the precision sprayer to increase throughput by 10x for field testing in commercial settings, such as strawberry greenhouses, to validate and derisk the technology's value propositions.
About University of Connecticut
UConn is a comprehensive public research university and the state’s flagship, with its main campus in Storrs and an academic medical center in Farmington. Industry engages through UConn Tech Park—anchored by the Innovation Partnership Building—with shared labs, pilot‑scale testbeds, and advanced prototyping for collaborators. Integration with UConn Health enables clinical collaborations and translation, while Hartford and Stamford campuses connect companies to talent along the New York–Boston corridor; a statewide extension network supports technology adoption. Research is supported by competitive federal funding from agencies such as NIH, NSF, DOE, USDA, and DOD. A dedicated technology commercialization office and the Technology Incubation Program support IP, licensing, and startup incubation across multiple sites.
delivered to your inbox.