Fraunhofer Institute fights food waste through active packaging innovation project

Fraunhofer Institute’s Process Engineering and Packaging IVV division is reporting progress in its international project to develop packaging solutions effective against food waste.

Food retailers discard up to half of their fruit and vegetables due to premature ripening, often triggered by the plant hormone ethylene or microbial infestation in the form of mold.

The three-year FreshInPac project began in 2019, designing food-grade packaging that prolongs fresh produce shelf life by inhibiting ethylene-induced ripening and microbial spoilage.