Pace International, VBC and DSM Food Specialties to develop postharvest decay control agent

Pace International, Valent BioSciences Corporation and DSM Food Specialties recently announced a global collaboration to develop the first decay control agent of natural origin for the postharvest fruit industry in the past 20 years.

DSM Food Specialties, a global market leader supplying bio-ingredients for food and beverages, Pace International, the leading global postharvest company and Valent Biosciences Corporation, the leader in biorational product development for agriculture, public health, and forestry worldwide, have submitted the registration of BioSpectra 100SC to the U.S. EPA for postharvest applications in citrus, stone fruit, pome fruit, and other fruits.

The active ingredient in this decay control agent is the result of the fermentation process of naturally occurring micro-organisms and has shown very strong performance against a broad spectrum of postharvest fruit decays, particularly Green Mold, Blue Mold, Gray Mold, Sour Rot, and Mucor Rot.

"We are very excited about this highly effective, natural decay control agent that has received an exemption from tolerance (MRL) for current agricultural applications in the U.S. It has shown no resistance development over the past decades of use in food," said Robert Fassel, Senior Director, Research & Development for Pace International.

"Biorationals are products typically derived from natural origins, and consequently tend to have a low environmental impact. They are highly specific in their activity, and can be used as alternative control agents to traditional pesticides and antimicrobials, helping to provide economic, health and environmental benefits," said Gregory Kesel, Business Unit Director Food & Crop Protection DSM Food Specialties.

"Pace International and Valent Biosciences Corporation are natural partners for us given their specialized knowledge and their global market leadership. DSM is pleased to work with these two partners to deliver this new bio-based solution to the global produce industry," added Gregory Kesel.

The development of BioSpectra 100SC is truly a collaborative team effort, leveraging the core strengths and unique capabilities of the three companies. According to Warren Shafer, Ph.D., Vice President of Global R&D and Regulatory Affairs for Valent BioSciences Corporation, "Each company has contributed scientific knowledge, complementary expertise and proprietary know-how throughout the product development process, helping to bring to the postharvest market a biorational decay control agent like no other."

"Postharvest products help maintain fruit quality while allowing for desired storage and improved shelf-life, providing global reach to many types of high value crops. A significant amount of produce is lost between harvest and consumption," said Roberto Carpentier, Executive Vice President for Pace International.

"This technology while being new to the postharvest fruit industry, is well known in other industries. It has been used in food applications for decades to prevent & control mold development. We continue to bring innovative solutions to our customers and the fruit packing industry, something that we strive for every day." added Roberto Carpentier, Executive Vice President for Pace International.

BioSpectra 100SC is not yet a registered product with U.S. EPA.