Paraexcel Global Ltd.
Nigeria
Post-harvest losses of fruits, vegetables, tubers, and roots are a global problem associated with high greenhouse gas emissions.
Paraexcel Global's patented product Phytorbit is a plant-based edible coating for fruits and vegetables. It is sold to farmers as a powder, that is diluted with water and then sprayed on fruits and vegetables directly after harvesting. The products can also be dipped into the solution.
Phytorbit creates an invisible layer of coating that serves as a barrier, reducing the gaseous exchange between the coated product and the atmosphere, thereby reducing weight loss. One gram of powder is diluted in one liter of water and costs about 2,500 to 3,000 Naira (about 6 Euro). This solution of one gram can coat 200 kilograms of tomatoes.
The powder is made of organic waste such as watermelon rind, hibiscus leaves, orange peel, seeds, and roots, that the startup gets as waste from food markets. Through an ozone-hydroxyl-cleaning- and sterilization-process germs, pesticides, and other impurities are removed. The product contains no chemicals like paraffin as found in wax.
An analysis by the Department of Pharmacognosy and Herbal Medicine at Bayero University in Kano, Nigeria showed that Phytorbit is safe for human consumption, extends the shelf life of some fresh agricultural products and inhibits the growth of microorganisms.
Category:
PRODUCTS FROM PLANT SUBSTANCES