Leading high street retailer Marks & Spencer (M&S, London / UK; www.corporate.marksandspencer.com) is introducing packs of strawberries incorporating an ethylene copolymer removal strip that will keep the fruit fresher for at least another two days when stored in a refrigerator. Ethylene is the hormone that causes fruit to ripen and then turn mouldy, but tests carried out by the retailer show a minimum waste saving of at least 4% when strawberry punnets incorporate the small strip of ethylene remover. This saving equates to some 40,000 M&S packs annually and is part of the retailer´s commitment to cutting food waste and becoming the world’s most sustainable supermarket.

According to M&S agronomist Hugh Mowat, the technology behind the ethylene removal strip is a step forward for the fresh fruit industry and a win-win introduction for its customers. Strawberries will taste better for longer and there is less pressure on consumers to eat them soon after purchase. Packs containing the strip have been available since 9 January. During the British strawberry season, which starts in April, M&S sells about 1m punnets a week. It is looking to extend its use of the technology to the packaging of all its fresh berries.

The ethylene removal strip in the strawberry packs measures just 8cm x 4.5 cm and does not affect the recyclability of the packaging. It is termed “E+ Ethylene Remover” and is being manufactured for M&S by It’sFresh! (Coleshill, West Midlands / UK; www.itsfresh.com). The active ingredient in the strip is a patented mixture of minerals and clay that is said to offer over 100 times greater ethylene absorption capacity compared with any other known materials. It has been developed in conjunction with Johnson Matthey (London / UK; www.matthey.com). The strip is non-invasive, non-toxic and proven at multiple temperatures and levels of humidity.

It’sFresh! director Simon Lee said the strip’s technology is focused on food freshness. He added: “We are delighted to be pioneering this British technology with M&S on strawberries and are currently working on other products that will be in-store in the near future.”

It’sFresh! is part of Food Freshness Technology (Coleshill / UK; www.foodfreshnesstechnology.com) which has invested more than of GBP 10m (EUR 12m) to bring to market a range of simple products to reduce waste, protect food and increase its quality.