Primaira LLC received a US Army Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) 2011 Achievement Award at the Pentagon Conference Center in Washington DC recently for its development of Bluezone technology for fresh produce preservation.
The company was recognized for development of a low-cost, compact, low-power technology that maximizes shelf life and quality of fresh produce being transported to troops around the world. Successful development of Bluezone technology has recently been demonstrated in side-by-side comparative testing, proving the technology safely and cost-effectively removes ethylene, inhibits microbial growth, and improves quality and longevity of fresh fruits and vegetables.
The Army SBIR program conducts an annual awards program to recognize projects that exemplify the SBIR goal of bringing innovative technologies to soldiers and the commercial marketplace. This year, 649 projects were eligible to compete for an award; the Army selected 11 projects.
For Primaira owners Phil Carbone and Karen Benedek, the selection provides recognition as they commercialize the technology across military and commercial applications including transport containers, cold storage rooms, walk-in refrigerators, reach-in refrigerators, and general produce storage areas.
“This award recognizes the years of hard work conducted by our team at Primaira and that of our SBIR program team from the DOD Combat Feeding Directorate, NSRDEC.” said Carbone.
The freshness enhancement technology works by removing ethylene, a naturally occurring plant hormone emitted by many fruits and vegetables, from the atmosphere of refrigerated containers used in shipping and storage. By removing ethylene safely, fruits and vegetables maintain their color, texture, and taste. The technology also effectively inhibits the growth of microbes in the fresh produce. Loss of produce costs the Army—and the US agricultural industry—lots of money. Up to 20% of each load can be ruined in transportation.
Selection of Primaira for the award was based on these four criteria: originality and innovation; relevance of the research to the Army mission; immediate commercialization potential; and overall quality and performance of the product.
For further information, visit www.primaira.com.
