Keep that paper at the bottom of your punnet of supermarket berries – it might just help your fruit last longer
Some shoppers have been adding the piece of filter paper to their fruit bowl at home
A SMALL piece of filter paper no bigger than a postage stamp is the little-known secret weapon used by supermarket’s to make fruit last longer.
You might never have noticed that big supermarkets - including, M&S, Morrisons and Waitrose - use the little green and white stripy filter in packs to help fruit last longer.
The paper soaks up ethylene gas, which is emitted by fruit, and slows down the ripening process by prolonging the life of produce by up to four days.
Some shoppers are even dropping the filter into their own fruit bowls at home.
There are even plans to launch the product in shops, but this is in the very early stages of development.
More than 38,000 tonnes of soft fruit and berries - adding up to £180 million - are thrown away by households every year, mainly because they’re not eaten on time.
Around 1.4 millions strawberries are eaten each year at Wimbledon and almost 120 million strawberries are sold on average in the UK alone.
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It’s Fresh!, the Milton Keynes based tech firm behind the technology, claim their clever filter paper helps save 1,134 tonnes of strawberries each year.
The technology is also used on strawberries, raspberries, nectarines, peaches, plums, tomatoes, avocados, pears, cherries and kiwis.
It is usually added to fruit when it is packed before it is transported.
Scientist Lawrence Matthews, from for It’s Fresh!, said: “The tiny sheet filters the air to remove ethylene which is the ripening hormone given off by fruit.
“This slows the development of rots and moulds and extends the quality, freshness and flavour.”
“It’s certified as safe, is non invasive and very simple to use. Once you remove the filter, the fruit resumes its natural ripening.”
Some restaurant chains are now using the technology to reduce fresh produce waste.
Andrew Stephen, chief executive of the Sustainable Restaurant Association, said: “Reducing food waste makes business and ethical sense for restaurants.
“The huge amount of food that’s thrown away by all sectors is a poignant symbol of our broken food system – so reducing it is the right thing to do, and it can also save restaurants a lot of money.”
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