Coating fruit and vegetables Reducing plastic waste and Increasing Shelf life of Produce

Project Information

CRISP

Grant agreement ID: 101218158

DOI

10.3030/101218158

EC signature date 30 May 2025

Start date 1 June 2025

End date 31 May 2027

Funded under

• The European Innovation Council (EIC)

Total cost

No data

EU contribution

€ 2 181 440,26

Coordinated by

SAVEGGY AB
Sweden

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - CRISP (Coating fruit and vegetables Reducing plastic waste and Increasing Shelf life of Produce)

Reporting period: 2025-06-01 to 2026-05-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

Almost half of all fruits and vegetables produced globally are lost before reaching the consumer, a systemic problem spanning the entire fresh produce supply chain, from packers and retailers to end consumers. The result is substantial food waste, economic loss, and the overuse of plastic packaging as a stopgap preservation measure.
The CRISP project addresses this directly by developing a plant-based, edible protection for fruits and vegetables. Made from rapeseed oil and gluten-free oat oil, with no additives, the protection is invisible, odorless, and tasteless. It is fully EFSA-compliant and requires no changes in consumer behaviour.
Applied post-harvest and integrated into existing distribution flows, the protection extends shelf life by three to four times compared to unprotected produce, reducing waste at every stage of the supply chain and offering a practical, sustainable alternative to plastic packaging.
The goal is straightforward: to give packers and retailers an effective, scalable, food-safe tool that reduces food loss, cuts plastic use, and improves the economics of fresh produce distribution with clear benefits for industry, consumers, and the environment.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

The edible protection has been further developed and optimized for crops beyond cucumber. The base formulation has been improved and tested with a range of add-ons for compatibility. All protected crops showed extended shelf life, measured by reduced weight loss compared to un-protected produce. Lab-scale formulations have been successfully reproduced at pilot scale with consistent results.
The application has been validated on a full-scale machine. A new industrial-scale machine is currently being developed with a specialist supplier, targeting higher throughput, lower cost per unit, and a more automated labelling and outfeed solution.
Market research was conducted for three candidate crops (banana, bell pepper, and aubergine) covering consumer, retailer, and packer needs, the competitive landscape, and pricing dynamics.
Sensory testing at Lund University confirmed that the protection has no negative impact on taste across all three candidate crops. Visual quality was significantly preserved after seven days for banana and bell pepper.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

The CRISP project has developed a plant-based, edible protection that extends fresh produce shelf life by three to four times without affecting taste, appearance, or existing supply chain operations, going beyond current preservation solutions that rely on plastic packaging or synthetic coatings.
Key achievements include optimised protection formulations successfully reproduced at pilot scale, initial full-scale machine trials, and completed market research and sensory testing across three candidate crops. In addition to the above mentioned crops, a tailored formulation for zucchini has been developed by which the shelf life of the crop was extended 3 times. Sensory analysis at Lund University confirmed no negative impact on taste, with significant visual quality preserved after seven days for banana and bell pepper. The second-generation machine design has been finalised, with improved capacity, height tolerance, and automated outfeed.
To ensure further success:
• Research: Further work is needed to refine add-on compatibility and expand the protection and their desired functionalities to additional crops.
• Scale-up and demonstration: The production of add-on technology will be validated in a large scale production trial in early autumn 2026. The new machine for protection will be validated across crops and production environments.
• Commercialisation: Market research confirms demand; the priority is moving to commercial pilots with industry partners.
• Regulatory alignment: Ongoing EFSA compliance will be essential as the formulation evolves.
• IPR protection: As the technology matures, intellectual property support will be important for long-term commercialisation.