Status:

• Vego operates to extend the shelf life and quality of fresh-cut vegetables and fruits.
• The technology has been developed in Israel, tested and verified in the US by a leading fresh-cut processor.
• We have achieved extended shelf life of 21 days for vegetables and over 14 days for fruits.
• Positive feedback from leading retailers: Target, Wall-mart and Starbucks.
• IP: A patent has been filed with the USPTO. PCT filed. Two trademarks applications.

The Vego solution:
The proprietary extended shelf life technology of Vego serves the mutual interests of all players in the Fresh Cut industry:

• Consumer: Vego is a facilitator of healthy life style through better quality, variety and accessibility.
• Retailer: Vego allows to reduce the supply chain shrink, sell healthy products at more sites and enhances bottom line performance through increased volume and profitability.
• Fresh cut processors can have fewer production sites with increased efficiency.

The Vego technoloy and IP:
The technology delivers extended shelf life and better quality to currently processed fruits and vegetables and allows the introduction of relatively more sensitive vegetables such a bell peppers and cucumbers.
The technology uses standard produce washing and cutting technologies, while adding a core processing sequence, therefore the technology can be easily added to existing fresh cut production lines. The technology aims to achive two gaols: reduce microbiological load and reduce surface enzymatic activity at the wounded tissue. We measured our ability to reduce bacterial count and found that the Vego technoloy can achieve a 5 log reduction while current chlorine based washing techniques usually arrive at two log reduction. The technology uses commercial modified atmosphere packaging with a novel gas mixture.
Vego has applied for a patent with the USPTO and filed a PCT. Vego has two trade marks applications pending for the Vego and Frugo trade marks.
The outcome of the technology is extending the shelf life of carrot sticks from two weeks (submerged in water) to more than three weeks. Cucumbers and bell peppers can be kept to 18 days and more, compared with a few days with current technology. We have demonstrated extending the shelf life of melons, mango and pineapple to over 14 days, compared with industry standard of 6-7  days.
Currently, Vego is in the final steps of testing for its fruits processing technology in Hatfield, PA within a production facility of Country Fresh Inc. The results show great promise in extending the shelf life of fresh fruits over 14 days. The production protocol will be finalized within the next few weeks.