A natural disinfectant from plants.

Harnessing the power of natural compounds to keep food safe and clean

The Opportunity

Foodborne pathogen contamination can cause serious illness – even death, and can also result in costly recalls and loss of productivity. This has created a real need for effective disinfecting products that are safe for humans and the environment, and don’t contribute to antimicrobial resistance. ApiSave is leveraging the natural compounds in plants to help address this challenge.

The Challenge

ApiSave developed a gentle, clean extraction process to isolate active antimicrobial ingredients from plants. In the lab, the compounds killed key foodborne contaminants like listeria, E coli and salmonella, and showed promising results in irradicating biofilms. It had the potential to be a potent ingredient in a surface cleaner for food and food-touching surfaces, but they needed to fill some gaps in their business plan, and explore other untapped markets.

NPC’s Solution

NPC worked with ApiSave to explore the needs and gaps in their business plan, and then provided them with $6400 to work with a consultant to deliver the answers. With this work, ApiSave was able to confirm food industry market interest, identify competitors and white space in the industry, and develop a product roadmap. The work also supported the company’s ability to secure additional program supports from other economic development agencies.