a lot of fresh fruit and vegetables
spoil between the farm and your mouth
every year up to half of the world's
fruits and vegetable crops are lost
according to the United Nations mostly
because the produce perishes before it
gets to consumers now a team of
researchers at Tufts University has
developed a new method they say helps
keep fruit from turning without the need
for a refrigerator the scientists
developed a solution made from silk that
can coat the produce and keep it fresh
they say made from the cocoon of
silkworms silk is regarded as one of
nature's strongest materials thanks
mainly to a protein called fibrin that
can serve as a protective barrier when
applied to some materials the
researchers say they've discovered
fibrin can help keep produce fresh too
in the study researchers repeatedly
dipped freshly picked strawberries in a
water-based solution containing one
percent of biodegradable fibrin the
fruit was also treated with a little
water vapor in a vacuum to help the
fiber and proteins bind with each other
and form a protective film after seven
days stored at room temperature the
coated berries were still juicy and firm
while uncoated berries were dehydrated
and discolored the scientists found the
researchers say the coating helped slow
the fruits release of carbon dioxide and
oxygen to keep it firm for longer and
prevent decay the solution was also
tested on bananas to see how it affects
fruits that ripen after they are
harvested again the researchers found
that the coating slowed the ripening the
almost invisible coating is odorless and
edible the scientists say and doesn't
affect the texture of the fruit but one
thing they haven't tested yet is how it
affects the taste
you
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