Tag: Food

Agricultural plants can be protected against fungal infestation with the help of smart microscope systems or UV light robots. Now, an Israeli startup has developed a smart and hollow robotic arm that can pick ripe fruits straight from the tree. The 5m long composite tube winds its way through branches and leaves to reach avocados, oranges and apples alike....

Banana paper can increase potato yield. Gorse is another good source of protein (21%). Globally there are as many as 30,000 edible species of wild plants. Now, in order to increase the variety of foodstuffs available, a Netherlands-based startup is getting them ready for commercial farming. Without any genetic engineering. Instead the physical constituents of a wild plant are...

Coffee grounds have much to offer. So too waste from fruit, vegetables or nuts, as shown by the female founder of an American startup. Using specially developed refining technology, waste from agricultural farms and food plants is put to good use. Key to the enterprise is the polarity of water, along with pressure and temperature changes. The process enables...

Some cosmetic containers can be composted at home. Following a similar idea, a Spanish startup has developed an ultra-thin, biodegradable packaging film from plant-based starch, which is certified for home composting. Despite being only 7 micrometres thick, the thermoplastic substitute for fossil-based film is mechanically tearproof at 114N/mm2 and manufacturing costs are comparable to traditional polyethylene products. A patent...

Tomato waste can protect tinned food. Meanwhile another Italian startup is aiming to extend the shelf life of fruit and vegetables - using waste from liquorice production. Certain materials in the ‘sweet root’ are effective against bacteria, viruses and fungal spores. In a patented process, root hairs from the plant are extracted then converted into nanoparticles, which are used...

Waste from beer production can be used as a leather alternative. If breweries aren’t inventing new types of beer, then maintaining the quality of hops is vital. Hops, after all, is what gives beer its distinctive taste. With climate change impacting consistent plant properties, a female-founded startup in Spain is mitigating the risk by growing hops vertically in 10m...

Some have turned to chickpeas as a coffee alternative. An invigorating espresso, however, remains hard to replace. Now, an Australian research team has come up with the next best thing: espresso prepared using 75% less energy than before. The trick lies in the use of ultrasound waves rather than boiling water. A transducer attached to the side of the...

Pancreatic cancer can be arrested by vitamin D, which is also vital for the function of human immune systems, as well as for bone, muscle and gum development. Yet one in six are vitamin D deficient. To cover the growing demand for additional vitamin D supplements, a French startup is using biosynthesis to produce vitamin D3-oil from mealworms. The...