In Florida, scientists at the Agricultural Research Service are working with Worrell Water Technologies on a pouch that prevents pathogens from growing on fruits and vegetables being shipped. The pouch is tiny, fitting in the palm of your hand, but powerful as it releases chlorine dioxide gas which removes E.coli bacteria and other pathogens from fresh produce. In a grapefruit test, they found 10 times less bacterial and fungal pathogens on grapefruits that had the pouches in their cartons. Lab tests showed 100,000 times reduction in E.coli on grape tomatoes stored with the pouches.
Their plan is to market the pouches to produce wholesalers and packers who can add them into produce shipping containers. It shouldn’t drastically increase the price of produce since the pouches only cost a few cents each and not many are needed for shipping containers.