MIRTECH INC. — Department of Agriculture SBIR Phase I: The objective of this project is to develop a sprayable water-based 1-methylcycopropene (1

Description

The objective of this project is to develop a sprayable water-based 1-methylcycopropene (1-MCP) liquid formulation for apple, to manage the undesirable effects of ethylene when the fruits are still attached to the tree and during post-harvest storage. The motivation is to overcome the limitations of current delivery formulations to improve quality and extend the shelf life of fruits, a major impediment in quick service restaurant and school meal program fruit product offerings for kids. The successful development of our new liquid formulation can additionally help improve global food security by reducing fruit loss, and increasing fruit availability in markets that are far to reach with the current technologies. It can also help in increasing the export of apple from the United States which is currently at risk due to European new regulations.The current delivery formulation involves using a-cyclodextrin to encapsulate 1-MCP and triggering the release of 1-MCP by hydration. Although this formulation is effective, its use is largely limited to enclosed environments. The current sprayable formulations are promising, but its limitations include the use of extremely high concentrations of the active ingredient and the rapid loss of 1-MCP to the atmosphere, leading to poor response efficiency and variable or poor efficacy. To overcome these limitations, we propose to develop a new water-based 1-MCP liquid formulation that is sprayable, stable, storable, has minimum or no loss during application, and can be used alone or in combination with other antioxidants/fungicides to the target tissues of apple to inhibit scald formation and ethylene mediated undesirable effects.We propose three concepts to develop the new 1-MCP liquid formulation. The first concept involves structural and functional modifications of the 1-MCP encapsulating materials, the second concept involves controlled release of the encapsulated 1-MCP, and the third concepts involved combination of the first and second concepts to develop a commercially viable product. We are highly encouraged by our preliminary data that support the technical soundness of these concepts.The new sprayable 1-MCP liquid formulation will be prepared by encapsulating 1-MCP in & beta;-cyclodextrin cross-linked nanosponges suspended in a blend of polyol/hydrocolloid, such as glycerol/ hydroxypropyl cellulose. The nanosponges are further modified to manipulate the polarity and hydrophobicity of the inclusion complex for achieving the maximum 1-MCP inclusion rate and better control in release on hydration, while the suspending colloidal solution would form a tortuous path for 1-MCP to diffuse thereby further controlling release on dilution and spraying. The formulation will be designed to retain 1-MCP in the encapsulating material during application and allow its controlled release slowly to the target tissue on application, thereby providing all the above mentioned benefits of the technology.Our team has many years of experience working with 1-MCP, encapsulation technology, and shelf life extension of fresh produce. This experience will help ensure the success of this project. We also have strong support from the produce industry, which will provide us with guidance and technical assistance for the development and commercialization of our technology. Besides apple, the application of our technology will be extended to other climacteric fruits in Phase II of this project.