Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (UC): UC innovation to reduce losses of fresh meats is awarded Startup Ciencia 2022 fund
Led by Dean of Engineering UC Loreto Valenzuela, this initiative extends the useful life of these products to 22 days. According to the FAO, a third of these foods are lost each year in the world.
A spin-off company from the Catholic University dedicated to the development of technologies for the storage and extension of the shelf life of fresh meats, won one of the Startup Science 2022 funds from the National Research and Development Agency (ANID) .
The innovation called FishExtend consists of an edible coating, made from natural ingredients, which is applied by spraying in the process line to inhibit lipid oxidation and retard the growth of microorganisms that spoil fresh meats.
“We are very happy and proud to have been selected by Startup Ciencia, because our technological solution has significant advantages over other similar proposals, thanks to its natural active compounds” , highlighted Loreto Valenzuela, who leads the project.
The professor and current Dean of UC Engineering, specified that tests on salmon have shown a reduction in microbiological growth below the limits allowed by health regulations , extending the shelf life of these products to 22 days.
“Fishextend not only responds to the need of the Chilean industry, by reducing food losses due to the increase in its bacterial content and the oxidation of fatty acids, but also satisfies the demand of those who demand natural, fresh products with fewer chemical additives. ” , he added.
The Chilean innovation, which also avoids using additional packaging for food preservation, has been validated in fresh salmon and other meats such as pork, beef and pippin. It also hopes to extend it to other sea products of high commercial interest.
The team is committed to promoting fresh meat exports by allowing distributors to reach distant destinations in time. This, considering for example that Chile is the second largest exporter of salmon in the world with a 26% market share.
The project selected by Startup Ciencia provides an innovative solution to those who export fresh meat, due to the short shelf life of these products. According to the FAO, a third of these foods are lost annually in the world and 35% of sea products in the logistics chain.
The researchers bet on promoting exports of fresh meat, by allowing distributors to reach distant destinations in time. Chile is the second largest salmon exporter in the world with a 26% market share.
In the work team led by the researcher Loreto Valenzuela, the professors of the Department of Chemical Engineering and Bioprocesses UC, Ricardo Pérez and Wendy Franco, and the head of Fishextend Projects, Cristóbal Concha, also stand out.
At its inception, the Dictuc spin off was supported by the Copec UC Foundation, Hubtec and Corfo. For its development and commercialization, Fishextend signed an agreement with the company Natufeed in 2021, which allowed raising capital to scale the technological solution.