Fruit microbiome bio-preservative spray for extended post-harvest shelf life

Overview

This solution addresses post-harvest fruit decay by harnessing naturally occurring beneficial microbes that live on the surface of healthy fruit. Research has shown that these epiphytic microorganisms play a defensive role against post-harvest pathogens. By isolating and cultivating these microbes, a bio-preservative spray can be formulated that delays the onset of rot and extends the usable shelf life of fresh produce. Initial trials on strawberries demonstrated that treated fruit decayed significantly slower than untreated controls, with statistical analysis confirming the protective effect of the microbial treatment.

The technology offers a natural, biological alternative to conventional chemical preservatives, aligning with consumer demand for clean-label produce and supporting reduced food waste across the supply chain. Potential applications span strawberry production, tomato cultivation, and other fruit crops susceptible to post-harvest rots.

Technical specifications

Microbial isolation and screening:

• Naturally occurring bacteria were isolated from the surface of healthy strawberries and cultured in solution
• Dilution plating on nutrient medium enabled single-colony selection for targeted screening
• Eight bacterial isolates demonstrated greater than 68 percent inhibition against three major post-harvest strawberry pathogens
• The top two performing isolates were selected for formulation development

Bio-preservative spray formulation:

• A microbial inoculum was prepared from the two best-performing bacterial isolates
• The inoculum was applied as a spray treatment directly onto fruit surfaces
• A scoring system was used to grade rot progression, with two-way ANOVA statistical analysis confirming that treated strawberries decayed significantly slower than untreated controls

Future characterization work:

• Culture-dependent and culture-independent techniques will be used to extract and identify epiphytic microbes
• Microbiome characterization will extend to strawberries and tomatoes
• Isolates will be assessed for nutrient supply, biofilm formation, and other functional traits
• In vitro assays will test efficacy against specific fruit pathogens
• Spray application trials will evaluate post-harvest disease suppression
• Mode of action studies will elucidate how the beneficial microbes inhibit pathogen growth

Technology readiness level

The technology is currently at an early-to-mid stage of development. Proof-of-concept validation has been completed on strawberries, with demonstrated efficacy in delaying post-harvest decay. Future validation over a one-year period will expand the work to characterize fruit microbiomes more broadly, test additional fruit types including tomatoes, and investigate the functional mechanisms and mode of action of the protective microbes. The research is positioned to advance toward commercial bio-preservative product development.