A sticker may be small, but it has incredible potential. Last year, we saw an 18-year-old Australian scientist create a sticker that uses solar disinfection to kill microbes in water. Now, Malaysian inventor Zhafri Zainudin has developed a sticker – dubbed StixFresh – that keeps fruit fresher for longer, extending their shelf-life by up to two weeks!
Food Waste
Approximately one-third of all the food produced worldwide goes to waste. In the United States, 52% of fruits and vegetables harvested went to waste, part of a $161 billion mountain of food waste. The pandemic has only exasperated the problem, leaving piles of fruits and vegetables to rot because food supply chains can’t reach buyers in time.
Zainudin believes StixFresh stickers will tackle food waste, hunger and improve health by extending the fruit’s life, giving it more time to get to consumers.
How Does StixFresh Work?
The 50-cent-sized stickers use natural ingredients which mimic the antimicrobial compounds that plants naturally use to protect themselves against post-harvest diseases.
Simply apply the sticker to the fruit, and the chemicals begin to spread, creating a protective layer covering the fruits’ surface and slowing the ripening process.
The Origin Of StixFresh
Zainudin came up with the concept after a distressed friend asked for help to lessen the amount of spoiled produce on his fruit stall in a community near Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
After countless experiments, Zainudin finally produced the perfect formula that would protect the fruit. Since most of the fruit already carried a sticker describing the variety, he realized that if he applied the formula to another sticker, it could work with existing processing and avoid extra investment by farmers and retailers.
Future Plans
By reducing food waste, Zainudin’s team hopes to help growers, distributors, retailers, and consumers save money while simultaneously protecting the environment.
For now, the stickers work best on mangos, apples, avocados, and citrus fruits. However, the team is working on new versions that will preserve the shelf life of vegetables and berries.
