- Global food waste is a massive issue, with one-third of all produced food being discarded
- Within the EU, households account for over 50% of all food waste
- A new kitchen product from Swedish company PureFize can extend the shelf life of food by up to 300% by illuminating food with unique UV light
- The EcoLoc can help people save on their already high food budgets, while also caring for the environment by reducing food waste
Food waste is a global issue. One-third of all produced food is discarded, and within the EU, households account for over 50% of all food waste. The UN’s goal is to halve the global food waste per person at the retail and consumer levels by 2030.
Kitchen product combats food waste
To combat food waste, global research-based company PureFize has launched a new kitchen product with a unique bactericidal light and a specially designed lid that extends the lifespan of food. The EcoLoc is tailored to fit IKEA’s food containers in the 365+ series.
The bactericidal light – a UV light with a unique spectrum encompassing UV-A, UV-B and UV-C – gives food a significantly longer shelf life. In studies with other objectives, the technology has also shown exceptionally high levels of disinfection, eliminating up to 99.999999% of all microorganisms.
The technology was developed by PureFize Technologies and is used, among other things, to purify water and prevent infectious diseases. For several years, the company has been involved in ongoing development collaborations with home appliance companies and other firms in food storage and handling.
Rune Torbjörnsen, CEO of PureFize Technologies, says: “We see that this technology can be applied to refrigerators and actually enhance their core function. Now, we can further reduce food waste by also implementing the technology into a kitchen product, directly targeting consumers.”
Once you’ve placed food in your container, you apply the lid, which will let the bactericidal light through. You then place the EcoLoc unit on top and press a button to start the process. The process takes three minutes.
Johan Tingsborg, Chief Product Officer, Purefize, adds: “Human beings have always sought ways to extend the shelf life of food. It began with salting, preservation, to technological aids like refrigerators and vacuum. This is the next step in that evolution, allowing us to cut down on wasted resources in food.”
“Every time food comes into contact with circulating air or you touch it with your hands, it gets contaminated, initiating food decomposition. By using EcoLoc, you can extend the shelf life of items like bread by up to 200% and tomatoes by up to 300%,”
“You can easily repeat the process if you take out your food and then place it back in the container. In this way, you can save money and help reduce global food waste.
EcoLoc is available to order online at https://www.ecoloc.se/.
About EcoLoc
- EcoLoc is a kitchen product with a lid that fits IKEA’s 365+ series containers.
- The product uses PureFize’s unique UV technology, illuminating food through the adjusted lid. Depending on how the food has been handled and its condition when placed in the container, using the bactericidal light can extend shelf life by up to 300%.
- A family of four can save £300 annually by using EcoLoc.
- EcoLoc is available across Europe
About PureFize
PureFize is a research-based company based in Uppsala, Sweden. With its patented broad-spectrum UV technology, it can purify water, prevent infectious diseases, extend food shelf life, and thereby reduce food waste.
