The work done during the Phase 1 has contributed to support the project idea, verifying the economic viability of the whole modular RLTProFood solution, and the technical viability of the UV-LED based solution. The study has clearly identify the two main key offerings of the product that however are based on the same structure: the visible LED RLTProfood and the UV-LED RLTProFood. The visible LED RLTProFood is a lighting system for food environment that could substitute current lamps-based lighting installation with benefits as regards energy saving and reduced cost of maintenance. The LED UV RLTProFood is designed to be a bactericidal/sanitizing LED-based method to be used also as a substitute of the current germicidal UV lamps.
The results of the studies have led to different conclusions regarding the two types of product resulting from the same innovative design of the lighting system. The visible LED RLTProFood has proven its economic viability, but it is necessary to proceed with a sustainable production and a capillary put on the market through networks of agents that could directly sell the product, especially in food hazardous contexts such as cooking oven or fridge where the segmented market has demonstrated the more possibility of growth. The results of the studies on the UV LED RLTProfood have demonstrated the possibility of a European market for this kind of product, since the need of such a method by different customers working especially with fresh fruits and vegetables or fresh pasta. However, both technical and legislation aspects as regards regulation of food irradiation, have demonstrated the necessity that this product needs to be highly customized to the specific food application context and the object of the sanitizing/germicidal effect.
That is, since several are the foodborne pathogens and spoilage microbes that affect each type of food, and so different are the requirements on their breakdown, each applications need a setup of the product in order to define the number of LEDs with a define wavelength to be used and the specific exposure time to obtain the necessary light power to achieve the desired effect. For this aim, we have developed a mathematical model that could allow the correct settings for the product. So, even if UV irradiation could be used for surfaces, packages and tools that are in contact with the food, for the water that is used for food processing and for food itself (e.g. to extend shelf-life), IODA has decided to develop the UV-LED RLTProFood prototype for the treatment of water used in food industry context (e.g. washing the vegetables before the packaging as a fresh food or before to use it for making the fresh pasta). Now, the business idea is to proceed with the development of such a prototype that has shown a great interest in the food fresh market and of a pilot experimentation in an industrial context. The final aim is to provide within the next two years of a product ready for the EU market.
