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SHEALTHY

Non-Thermal physical technologies to preserve fresh and minimally processed fruit and vegetables

Basic data

Field

European

Date

01/05/2019 - 31/10/2023

Industry

Budget

Total project budget: 6,955,768.74 € ITENE budget in the project: 490,500.00 €.

Funded by

European Commission - H2020

Website

Video

PROJECT INFORMATION

DESCRIPTION

The SHEALTHY project aims to evaluate and develop an optimal combination of non-thermal disinfection, preservation and stabilization methods to improve the safety (inactivation of pathogenic and spoilage microorganisms) of minimally processed fruit and vegetable products, while preserving their nutritional quality and extending their shelf life (up to 50%).
By combining and modularizing non-thermal technologies with a minimal processing operation, the demand for fresh, healthy, convenient, sustainable, locally produced, additive-free food will be met. Once combined and optimized, these non-thermal technologies will be validated in 2 market case studies: minimally processed fruits and vegetables, and fruit and vegetable-based juices and smoothies.
This project will significantly advance the knowledge of minimal processing technologies by demonstrating in a relevant industrial environment (11 pilot tests) the combination of 10 different technologies: Solutions
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Technologies
Sectors
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Scope of application

Safety, design and functionality in containers and packaging

Services

R+D+i Projects
Lines of research

Packaging and package-product interaction
Sectors

Food and beverages
Period of execution

May 2019 - April 2023

Source of funds

Europeans

Website

http://www.shealty.eu

Twitter

@ShealthyP

SHEALTHY: Non-thermal physical technologies to preserve the health of fresh and minimally processed fruits and vegetables.
Technologies for the preservation of fresh fruits and vegetables

The SHEALTHY project (2019-2023) aims to evaluate and develop an optimal combination of non-thermal methods of disinfection, preservation and stabilization to improve the safety, preserve the nutritional quality and extend the shelf life of minimally processed fruits and vegetables.

Context
Fruits and vegetables (F&V) are key elements in maintaining a healthy and balanced diet as they provide bioactive compounds and essential nutrients. In recent years, consumer interest in purchasing healthier foods and in considering the overall sustainability of production and processing methods has contributed to a growing demand for less processed foods and those produced locally or regionally.

However, although minimal processing technologies, such as washing, cutting and modified atmosphere packaging (MAP), have been shown to preserve the freshness of produce, the shelf life of fruits and vegetables remains limited. In addition, chemical disinfectants available today, besides being perceived negatively by consumers, are not considered a solution, as they are not fully efficient for microbial reduction and are harmful to human health and the environment.

On the other hand, the relatively high costs of acquiring minimal processing technologies require a high capacity for innovation and investment. While large food companies can afford to invest in this and have higher operating costs, traditional micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are often unable to afford these outlays.

It is therefore necessary to develop more effective and sustainable postharvest and processing techniques to improve safety, preserve nutritional and sensory properties and extend the shelf life of fruits and vegetables, and to make these technologies available to SMEs in order to improve their competitiveness.

Summary and objectives
The SHEALTHY project aims to evaluate and develop an optimal combination of non-thermal disinfection, preservation and stabilization methods to improve the safety (inactivation of pathogenic and spoilage microorganisms) of minimally processed fruit and vegetable products, while preserving their nutritional quality and extending their shelf life (up to 50%).

By combining and modularizing non-thermal technologies with a minimal processing operation, the demand for fresh, healthy, convenient, sustainable, locally produced, additive-free food will be met. Once combined and optimized, these non-thermal technologies will be validated in 2 market case studies: minimally processed fruits and vegetables, and fruit and vegetable-based juices and smoothies.

This project will significantly advance the knowledge of minimal processing technologies, demonstrating in a relevant industrial environment (11 pilot tests) the combination of 10 different technologies: Ultrasonics; Electrolyzed water; Plasma activated water; Light technologies (high intensity pulsed light and blue light); Bioactive coatings; Active packaging; Indicator labels; High pressure processing; Pulsed electric fields; and, Filtration through membranes.

The SHEALTHY project aims to evaluate and develop an optimal combination of non-thermal disinfection, preservation and stabilization methods to improve the safety (inactivation of pathogenic and spoilage microorganisms) of minimally processed fruit and vegetable products, while preserving their nutritional quality and extending their shelf life (up to 50%).
By combining and modularizing non-thermal technologies with a minimal processing operation, the demand for fresh, healthy, convenient, sustainable, locally produced, additive-free food will be met. Once combined and optimized, these non-thermal technologies will be validated in 2 market case studies: minimally processed fruits and vegetables, and fruit and vegetable-based juices and smoothies.
This project will significantly advance the knowledge of minimally processed technologies by demonstrating in a relevant industrial environment (11 pilot tests) the combination of 10 different technologies: Solutions
Services
Technologies
Sectors
Success stories
Persons
Search
Press enter to search

Scope of application

Safety, design and functionality in containers and packaging

Services

R+D+i Projects
Lines of research

Packaging and package-product interaction
Sectors

Food and beverages
Period of execution

May 2019 – April 2023

Source of funds

Europeans

Website

http://www.shealty.eu

Twitter

@ShealthyP

SHEALTHY: Non-thermal physical technologies to preserve the health of fresh and minimally processed fruits and vegetables.
Technologies for fresh fruit and vegetable preservation

However, although minimal processing technologies such as washing, cutting and modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) have been shown to preserve the freshness of produce, the shelf life of fruits and vegetables remains limited. In addition, chemical disinfectants available today, besides being perceived negatively by consumers, are not considered a solution, as they are not fully efficient for microbial reduction and are harmful to human health and the environment.

Impact

Monitoring and traceability of the logistic chain of fresh fruits and vegetables, juices, smoothies and fresh-cut salads to ensure freshness and quality throughout the supply chain.