Avocado is one of the most charismatic fruits on earth. Especially in recent years due to the emergence of certain recipes. fitness and other culinary fads followed by healthy eating advocates on social networks such as Instagram.
However, there is always a dark problem behind the avocado: oxidizes at the speed of light. This is due to enzymatic browning, a natural spoilage process in which certain enzymes called “polyphenol oxidases” interfere with the avocado’s color change, speeding up the chemical reactions that take place.
Almost in the blink of an eye, we see how this food turns black, but we are not able to correct it. Or maybe there is a way to avoid this unpleasant inconvenience? So thought four Master students in Food Development and Innovation at the University of Barcelona who developed project “Guacate” under the slogan Keep only the good.
His purpose? Offer a ready-to-eat product that retains all of the benefits of avocado while also promoting avoid food waste this fruit in the houses. We interviewed project authors Daniel Castro, Jorge Carlos Gonzalez, Raquel Clapes and Ventura Bea, who told us more about everything this innovative new project has to offer.
Q: How did the Guacate project come about? Who would have thought?
Answer: The project is the result of a master’s thesis that we studied. After numerous sessions brainstorm and put a few of them on paper, the final arose unexpectedly. One night, when a group member went to cook dinner and found a pocho avocado in his fridge, he saw it clearly. It would be great to have a product as tasty as an avocado, but more convenient: without the skin and pit, it is easy to cut, use and keep in the refrigerator for more days without losing its appearance and freshness. This nocturnal revelation marked the beginning of our Guacate project.
Q: What exactly is Guacate made of? How is avocado processed to keep it longer?
A: This is a product designed to solve problems we encountered while using it as consumers. The most common problem is the large waste that exists around this fruit due to oxidation. On the other hand, Guacate is also aiming to be a more convenient option for today’s consumer trends when cooking times are limited. Always keep the nutritional profile as close to a fresh avocado as possible so that the consumer does not reject it. In addition, all ingredients comply with the policy clean label.
Our method to make it last longer over time:top secret“. We can only say that we managed to inactivate the enzyme polyphenol oxidase, extending the shelf life of avocados up to a week. This was a headache as it was not easy to combine this variable with good texture and taste.
Question: The shape of the cut is striking, is it because of the greater practicality when packaging products?
O: Not at all. In fact, this characteristic shape greatly complicates the production process on the line and entails higher costs. It was clear to us that our product had to compete on the shelf with a tough nut to crack like the fresh avocado that is so trendy right now. For this reason, it was a rather “market” solution. On a visual level, we wanted to make it stand out from what we might see in a supermarket without losing the concept of ease of use.
It would seem that everything is simple, but we faced great difficulties: we had to develop a new 3D container! None of the companies we contacted assured us that it was possible to make any test samples. The mold consists of two parts, a lid and an avocado-half-shaped body, so that the user opens the container with the lid on the countertop and it is used directly to cut the product itself on the spot and thus add it directly to your favorite dishes by attaching to the portion to be eaten and returning it to the refrigerator.
Question: What are the biggest hurdles you have faced in product development?
A: The biggest hurdle was undoubtedly the avocado. No more, no less. Our wording teacher left us indifferent with the phrase: “Guys, do you know what your problem is? Avocado”. And he was absolutely right, we could not find the right texture for the avocado and a reliable organoleptic profile.
However, after three months of trials and headaches – and with limited resources at our disposal, such as our own kitchen in a student apartment – we managed, receiving congratulations from many of our mentors a few months later, which we are proud of.
Q: This project was born as part of your graduate studies. Are you going to sell it in the future? Are things coming?
A: Today we are immersed in various projects, but who knows? It’s such a complete project that, if we think seriously, we could start our own company tomorrow.
We have supplier agreements, plant designs, equipment, packaging, labels and a marketing plan, as well as contacts for distribution in Catalonia and through interested franchises. We are open to the possibility of receiving investments and proposals.
Source: Hiper Textual
