Apeel Sciences

Last updated
Apeel Sciences
Company type Private
Founded2012  OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
FounderJames Rogers
Headquarters Goleta, California
Website apeel.com

Apeel Sciences is a company based in Goleta, California whose edible coating product Apeel or Edipeel [1] can make avocados, citrus and other types of fruit last twice as long as usual by using a tasteless edible coating. [2] [3]

Contents

Apeel state that they use ethyl acetate and heptane as solvents. In the application for GRAS, Apeel cites several studies on the general safety of grapeseed oil derived monoglycerides and diglycerides, [4] but there are no studies on the effects of Apeel products themselves on human or environmental health.

The coating's formulation can be modified for strawberries, mangoes, apples, bananas, kumquats, citrus, and asparagus. [3] [5] Edipeel is also allowed for use on all fruits and vegetables in Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Japan, Kenya, Mexico, Peru, and South Africa, without restriction. Additionally, Edipeel is allowed for use on the following fruits in the European Union, Norway, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom: avocados, citrus fruit, mangoes, papayas, melons, bananas, pineapples, and pomegranates. [6]

Founding

Apeel was founded in 2012 by James Rogers, [3] after receiving a $100,000 grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to help reduce post-harvest food waste in developing countries that lacked refrigeration infrastructure. [7] [8] [9]

After the initial grant, backing has been provided by Microsoft cofounder Bill Gates, venture capitalist firm Andreessen Horowitz, and ATEL Capital Group. [10] Apeel has raised $110 million in financing to date. [11]

In June 2018, Apeel was named a World Economic Forum Technology Pioneer. [12] In August 2018, Apeel announced the appointment of former Whole Foods Market co-CEO Walter Robb to its board of directors. [13]

See also

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References

  1. "Apeel-coated produce is poised to take over grocery store shelves". Fast Company . Retrieved 26 January 2019.
  2. "New Produce-Protective Coating Promises to Double Food's Shelf Life". Santa Barbara Independent . Retrieved 15 October 2018.
  3. 1 2 3 Solon, Olivia (19 June 2018). "Edible coating allows avocados to stay ripe for twice as long". The Guardian . Retrieved 15 October 2018.
  4. https://www.apeel.com/us-en/product-safety-information
  5. "UPDATED: Apeel offers longer shelf life for citrus". The Packer . Retrieved 26 January 2019.
  6. https://www.apeel.com/us-en/product-safety-information
  7. "Apeel Sciences is combating food waste with plant-derived second peels". TechCrunch . 10 August 2018. Retrieved 15 October 2018.
  8. "This start-up can make avocados last twice as long before going bad". The Washington Post . Retrieved 15 October 2018.
  9. "Apeel's Invisible Coating Could Be A Game-Changer". Forbes . Retrieved 15 October 2018.
  10. "Portfolio Companies". ATEL Capital Group. Archived from the original on 2023-09-09. Retrieved 2023-09-14.
  11. "This simple step can double the shelf life of fruits and vegetables". CNN . 23 October 2018. Retrieved 6 November 2018.
  12. Vanham, Peter (2018-06-21). "Meet the 2018 World Economic Forum Technology Pioneers". World Economic Forum . Archived from the original on 2023-05-10. Retrieved 2023-09-14.
  13. Masek, Michelle (2018-08-01). "Apeel Sciences Closes $70M Round As Apeel Produce Hits U.S. Retail Shelves". PR Newswire. Archived from the original on 2023-06-03. Retrieved 2023-09-14.