Storage and transport of highly perishable foodstuffs; truffles, mozzarella, berries, shellfish

Nutrimentum DIVEs into food processing sector, filing a patent on antioxidant storage container

29-Apr-2015 - Last updated on 30-Apr-2015 at 08:53 GMT

DIVE works on highly perishable foodstuffs such as strawberries.

Researchers at Nutrimentum, in Italy, have filed a patent on a food container called DIVE (Device for Increasing Vibrational Energy), an electric device for the conservation and storage of foods.

It claims the device can extend the shelf life of food maintaining the natural electro-biochemical potential, which was lost due to preservative additives or hygienic-sanitary treatments.

Container preserves antioxidants

The patented technique and relative device can increase food antioxidant power, counteracting the formation of free radicals (ROS) responsible for degenerative organic causes.

Dr. Elena Nicoli, researcher, Nutrimentum, told FoodProductionDaily, rising interest in the need for a healthy diet has grown in demand for products that contrast free radicals.

“We want to develop our patent for domestic food and put it on the market. The product is capable of transforming after a short course, simple food into functional food, preserving its high antioxidant power,” she said.

“Our technology is of great interest to food processors and consumers alike and we believe it will generate a lot of business.”

Nutrimentum carries outresearch and development in the field of nutritional technologies, developing ideas and patents. The company develops its products thanks to the experience and expertise of physicist, Dr Veronica Mesisca; biologist, Nicoli and marketing manager, Giorgio Silvestri, who has a pharmaceutical background.

Nicoli said it took two years to develop the technology and it has filed two patents in the field of food and physical well-being

'Bio-electrochemical food is unable to sustain human cells'

“The sale of part of this patent, will allow us to continue our studies in the human field, developing other projects that will be made available for the human progress,” she added.

“The protective effect of food is mainly exerted by the antioxidant bio-electrochemical proprieties which are transmitted to human cells; oxidized or bio-electrochemical food is unable to sustain human cells in its main defence and regeneration processes.

“This project aims to develop a new and modern technology to enable human beings to face the challenges of bio-physical adaptation to the new millennium, acting on the adaptogenic capacity of the human species.”

She said the container will benefit health and human well-being and high consumption food manufacturing firms with the opportunity to generate new production and business activities.

She said it can be used as a home device for fresh fruits and vegetables; for easily transporting bottles; storage and transport from producers to processing centers of highly perishable foodstuffs (truffles, mozzarella, berries, shellfish, etc.) and producers of fruit and vegetables.

“The DIVE project wants to meet the needs of consumers who are looking for food to improve their health and farms who want to increase the productive potential of their products,” she added.

“The DIVE device can be useful in the organic cultivation field,improving the production of fruits and vegetables and the aesthetic of the product, in accordance with the specifications of organic production.”