SavrPak fights food waste with patented moisture-eliminating technology

16 Sep 2020 --- SavrPak deploys the laws of physics and thermodynamics to eliminate moisture from a container before its food deteriorates. With at-home deliveries and takeout spiking during the COVID-19 pandemic, the company has ramped up production of its patented food waste prevention technology.

“Soggy food sucks,” stresses Bill Birgen, aerospace engineer and inventor of the SavrPak technology. “SavrPark was first created as a way to keep our own lunch fresh, using the same underlying principles to develop environmental systems for aircraft and space vehicles.”

“Our team is thrilled to now have the capacity to offer our technology to companies around the world to help save the state of delivery and takeout food.” 

SavrPak is a frozen peel-and-stick patch that forces moisture from the air of a container before it condenses into liquid. The patch, which is made from food-grade materials, traps the moisture to keep it away from the food in the container.

SavrPak can immediately reduce humidity in a food container by up to 45 percent, keeping food fresher and crisper “than any other solution on the market,” the company contends.

SavrPak is a frozen peel-and-stick patch that forces moisture from the air of a container before it condenses into liquid. When used in pre-packaged foods, the peel-and-stick patch has the ability to extend shelf life by 10 to 14 days, helping to solve the ballooning issue of food waste in the US, which throws away over 80 billion pounds of food each year.

With the latest announcement, SavrPak’s production capacity jumps to over a million units per month, with the ability to scale to 15 million units per month by year’s end. 

Foodservice applicability
In a 2019 US Foods survey, food delivery customers’ biggest complaint was that their meals did not arrive warm or fresh.

The experience of being served soggy french fries, chewy pizza, “sweaty” chicken wings, or wilted salad is not uncommon, Birgen shares.

The most widely adopted solution to date is a plastic lid with a hole that inadequately vents moisture, he highlights.

A range of US-based restaurants, food delivery services and supermarket chains are currently testing SavrPak’s cost efficient peel-and-stick patch.

The patch can adhere to any food container: clamshell containers, pizza boxes, cloches, chafing dishes, Cambro boxes, plastic containers and paper bags, all for the cost of “a few ketchup packets”.

In 18 months, SavrPak has garnered industry recognition, winning four categories in the 2020 World Food Innovation Awards in London, and awards at Founders Live Phoenix, Venture Madness, THAIFEX Taste Innovation Show and the SKS North America’s Smart Kitchen Summit.

SavrPak is now applying for compostability certification.SavrPak can immediately reduce humidity in a food container by up to 45 percent, keeping food fresher and crisper.

Food safety solutions
Novel packaging solutions have demonstrated impressive shelf life-extending capabilities, which are vital in the battle against global food waste. Prevalent here is the EU-funded NanoPack project’s essential oils film, which expands the shelf life of yellow cheese by 50 percent.

Moreover, the COVID-19 pandemic has filled many consumers with a new sense of appreciation for packaging and its vital role in preserving the hygiene and safety of food and beverage products. 

Antimicrobial packaging – a subset of active packaging that integrates antimicrobials to kill pathogenic microorganisms like foodborne diseases – is a promising technology pushing the boundaries of food safety and preservation. 

In this space, Norwegian company ZincIn recently launched an ocean plastic food tray that leverages integrated antimicrobial technology by Dutch company Parx Materials. The solution protects against bacteria and viruses without needing to wipe the trays clean.

As an alternative to inedible packaging, eggs that would otherwise be wasted can be used as the base of an inexpensive coating to protect fruits and vegetables from rotting.

By Benjamin Ferrer

This feature is provided by Food Ingredients First’s sister website, Packaging Insights.

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