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1. 1 · NaturePack EO

   A Natural Antimicrobial Sachet for Fresh Produce. Replacing synthetic preservatives with plant-derived encapsulated essential oils. Slovakia Technology Investments a.s. In scientific partnership with Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra (SUA).

2. 2 · Our Purpose

   We give fresh produce retailers and packers a simple, drop-in natural preservative that extends shelf life — without changing their existing packaging line.

   • Drop-in solution: a sachet placed inside existing packaging — no equipment change needed.
   • Proven safe: plant-derived, food-grade, EU-compliant active ingredients.
   • Reduces waste: extend shelf life of fresh produce, cutting retailer and producer losses.
   • Climate & Net-Zero Impact: food waste drives 8–10% of global emissions. By extending shelf life, lower supply chain carbon footprints and support EU Green Deal, Farm-to-Fork, Net-Zero objectives.

3. 3 · Problem & Market Need

   • 28–55% of fresh fruit & vegetables lost post-harvest globally (Opara et al., 2021).
   • USD 750B annual economic loss from fresh produce waste (Opara et al., 2021).
   • 20–40% of losses caused by pathogen attack (FAO, 2024).

   The business pain points:

   • EU Farm-to-Fork mandates 50% reduction of synthetic pesticides by 2030 — retailers are already under pressure to find alternatives.
   • Current natural alternatives (organic acids, plant extracts) are unstable, volatile, and difficult to apply in standard packing lines.
   • No off-the-shelf product combines encapsulation stability + proven antimicrobial data + simple drop-in application for fresh produce.

4. 4 · Our Product: NaturePack EO Sachet

   A breathable sachet filled with β-cyclodextrin encapsulated essential oil powder — placed inside fresh produce packaging to release natural antimicrobials in vapour phase during storage.

   • How it works: sachet releases EO vapour inside sealed packaging → inhibits bacterial and fungal growth on produce surface → extends shelf life.
   • Plant-derived actives: essential oils from 13+ validated plant species; β-CD encapsulation controls release rate and masks off-odours.
   • Validated on 4 produce types: pears, kiwi, carrot, parsley — vapour phase in situ trials completed; further types in development.
   • Simple customer use: drop sachet into existing packaging — no equipment investment, no process change for the customer.

5. 5 · Regulatory pathways

   • Food-Grade Ingredient Basis: NaturePack EO is built around food-grade β-cyclodextrin and selected plant-derived essential oils with existing use in food and food-contact contexts.
   • EU Active Packaging Route: the sachet will be developed under EU food-contact and active-packaging requirements, covering controlled release, migration, labelling, and consumer safety.
   • Validation Dossier for Market Entry: pilot development will generate the regulatory support package: formulation specifications, antimicrobial efficacy data, sensory impact, shelf-life results, and customer-use documentation.

6. 6 · Why Now?

   • 2023: EU Farm-to-Fork: 50% synthetic pesticide reduction mandate by 2030 — retailers actively sourcing alternatives now.
   • 2024: New EU packaging regulation forces active packaging innovation — synthetic additives face restrictions.
   • 2025: Major retail chains (Lidl, Carrefour, Tesco) publish clean-label fresh produce requirements for suppliers.
   • 2026: NaturePack EO reaches TRL 4–5 with full antimicrobial validation dataset — ready for pilot with first customers.

7. 7 · Business Model

   • 01 B2B Sachet Sales: spray-dried EO powder sachets sold directly to fresh produce packers, organic farms, and food retailers as a natural shelf-life extension input.
   • 02 Intellectual property Strategy: licensing proprietary EO formulations and encapsulation protocols to food packaging manufacturers seeking natural active packaging solutions.
   • 03 Scientific Validation Services: microbiological validation services for food companies developing their own natural preservation — leveraging SUA laboratory infrastructure.

   Pricing: per-sachet B2B supply; licensing fees; project-based validation contracts · 25% co-financing confirmed by STI.

8. 8 · Market Size

   • TAM €42B: global natural food preservatives & active packaging market (2026, CAGR 7.2%).
   • SAM €8.5B: EU fresh produce sector requiring certified natural preservation — organic & clean-label buyers.
   • SOM €85M: CEE organic farms & fresh produce packers reachable in 3 years via CIVAM network + direct B2B.

9. 9 · Competitive Landscape

   Compared: synthetic preservatives / simple EO sprays / encapsulated EO (market) / NaturePack EO.

   • Food-grade / EU compliant: ✓ / ✓ / ✓ / ✓
   • Stable during storage: ✓ / ✗ / partial / ✓
   • Antimicrobial validated: ✓ / no TRL data / no TRL data / ✓ TRL 5–6
   • Drop-in sachet format: ✓ / ✗ / rare / ✓
   • No odour impact on produce: ✓ / ✗ / partial / ✓
   • Scientific publications: ✓ / limited / limited / ✓ 300+ since 2019

10. 10 · Key Specifications & Value Profile

    • Technology readiness: current TRL 4–5; target TRL after BIONetZero 6–7.
    • Active ingredients: plant-derived essential oils.
    • Encapsulation technology: β-cyclodextrin + spray drying.
    • Controlled release; vapour-phase antimicrobial action; food-grade ingredients; compatible with existing packaging lines; no equipment investment required: ✓.
    • Shelf-life extension target: 20–50%.
    • Target customers: fresh produce packers, retailers, organic farms.
    • Net-zero contribution: reduced food waste and embedded CO₂ emissions.
    • Circular bioeconomy contribution: valorisation of natural bio-based ingredients.
    • Commercialisation route: sachet sales + licensing + validation services.
    • IP strategy: formulation know-how and trade secrets.

11. 11 · Go-to-Market Strategy

    • Phase 1, 2026–2027 – First Customers: pilot with SCEA Abbaye Saint Pierre (France) — certified organic farm, confirmed interest; engage CIVAM network (France) — organic producer network; identify equivalent network in SK/CZ/PL.
    • Phase 2, 2027 – CEE Market Entry: first B2B sachet supply agreement in SK/CZ/PL; explore Bionest Romania partnership; general food packaging distributor partnership.
    • Phase 3, 2027–2028 – Scale: EU-wide distribution via organic food networks; internationalisation — China market (existing academic contacts); apply for BIONetZero Implementation Grant.

12. 12 · Team

    • prof. Ing. Miroslava Kačániová – Scientific Lead & BIONetZero Representative; FHLE, SUA Nitra. h-index WoS 38, Scopus 41; 300+ indexed publications since 2019; Stanford/Elsevier Top 2% (2022, 2025); Scientist of the Year SK 2019; L'Oréal–UNESCO Award 2017; Award of Minister of Education Poland 2026.
    • Slovakia Technology Investments a.s. – Business Lead & Applicant SME; Est. 2006 · Bratislava, Slovakia. VAT: SK2022127536; 4 team members · biosolutions division launching; contacts: CIVAM France, Bionest Romania.
    • Ing. Veronika Šimora, PhD., AgroBioTech SUA – Encapsulation Technology Partner; SUA Nitra. Büchi Mini Spray Dryer B-290 (operational); lyophilisation capacity; β-CD co-precipitation protocol available; experience with bioactive encapsulation; 2 PhD students involved in experiments.

13. 13 · Traction & Proof of Concept

    • 13+ EO formulations encapsulated & tested.
    • 300+ indexed publications since 2019.
    • TRL 5–6 current technology readiness level.
    • 4 produce types validated in situ.

    Key milestones achieved:

    • β-CD encapsulation protocol established (Kotronia et al. 2017 co-precipitation method) + spray drying (Büchi B-290) — dual encapsulation approach.
    • In situ vapour phase antimicrobial activity demonstrated: filter paper disk in Petri dish lid → EO vapour inhibits bacteria on fresh produce slices.
    • Current TRL 4-5; Target TRL 7 through pilot deployment with organic producers during BIONetZero.
    • Laboratory validation completed on four produce types: pears, kiwi, carrot, parsley (platky/slices, hermetically sealed, 7-day trials).
    • Completed APVV, VEGA Slovak national grants.
    • First customer contact identified: SCEA Abbaye Saint Pierre (France, certified organic) + CIVAM organic producer network.

Transcribed from the slides as published; the slide images remain the reference.