Test the health properties of the Fruit. Fast, easy and mobile test to screen polyphenol content in fruits, for juice manufacturers and fruit farmers.
A mobile test that allows you to estimate the content of polyphenols in fruit and juices. Polyphenols are compounds that have a positive effect on health, lower blood pressure and improve the cholesterol profile. Their high content means high quality fruit. The solution will improve the work of fruit growers and juice producers, who will be able to control the quality of their products much faster than before. Firms usually test the final products in external laboratories, which is expensive and time consuming (4-8 weeks). Use of pesticides, bad storage, etc decrease the polyphenol level up to 10 times. The problem is that fruit processing companies who produce healthy food check polyphenols in their products once a year, because it is expensive and time consuming. Thus, there are no polyphenols on product packages and their products are not distinguished among competitors. Fruit processing companies cannot check fruits before purchase and select best quality raw material for their production.
Resources needed
Competition for startups "Start from Mazovia" for the operation of the Mazowieckie Voivodship Local Government,
Funds PLN 25.000 and 3-person team
Evidence of success
Thanks to a simple to use application for the interpretation of results plus a set consisting of a paper test and reagent. The user applies the crushed fruit juice to a paper strip, and after adding the reagent, the application reads the result, after 5 minutes. It could be used everywhere in the field, shop, trade show etc. It is for fresh,frozen fruits and liquid fruit products. No special chemical knowledge is required for the user to perform experiment and to interpret the results.
Difficulties encountered
Commercialization and scalability of the solution
Potential for learning or transfer
Test was developed in cooperation with companies Royal Apple, Cherry Tree and Olewnik. Application created as a result of cooperation with CerviRobotics and ServoCode. Our test paper is produced especially for us by Natural Fibers Advanced Technologies-Kazimierz Przybysz. Two team members, Dr. Katarzyna Zawada and Dr. Katerina Makarova, are adjuncts at the Medical University of Warsaw, in the Physical Chemistry Department, and scientific research in the field of various bioactive substances in food. Polyphenol test will be a powerful marketing/informational tool for fruit processing companies who produce really high quality healthy food as they can easily show the quality of their product to final client. That will also motivate other companies, who are not checking polyphenols yet, to create high quality products and have a tool to control quality of every batch as everyone on the market doing it. For the final clients, it will be easier to choose really healthy products on the market
