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NatuWrap extends shelf life of certain organic produce with natural ingredientsNatuWrap extends shelf life of certain organic produce with natural ingredients

The all-natural edible coating that can double shelf life is making organic inroads. Learn how NatuWrap works and which growers have started using it.

Tim Linden, Freelance writer

February 4, 2025

5 Min Read
Wooden bins filled with oranges, pears and apples sit on a table in a retail setting.
NatuWrap can slow aging of produce such as apples, pears and citrus without putting USDA Organic certification at risk. Canva

At a Glance

  • A Texas State biochemistry professor and students developed NatuWrap using clay, tree extracts and other natural elements.
  • NatuWrap is water soluble, biodegradable and safe for organic produce.
  • This thin, organic coating can be applied with water any time during the production process.

NatuWrap, an all-natural compound that works as a washable passive barrier on fruits and vegetables, is gaining a foothold in the organic sector, helping growers and packers extend shelf life on a wide variety of products.

The patented formulation consists of clay from the earth, tree extracts and other naturally occurring elements. It was first developed by a biochemistry professor at Texas State University and his students. Gary Beall, PhD, began working on the project about a decade ago to create an all-natural way to slow the decaying process and extend the shelf life of fruits and vegetables. Beall subsequently retired from the university and launched Nabaco Inc. (Natural Barrier Company), in San Marco, Texas, with NatuWrap as its signature product.

The formulation is water-soluble, biodegradable and safe for human consumption and the environment. NatuWrap is GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) approved, a certification program managed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. It is also certified organic by OMRI (Organic Materials Review Institute) and other organizations, so organic growers can use the product without putting their certification at risk.

Tested on conventional, then certified organic

After the product went through extensive trialing, Nabaco found a market in fruit growers in the Pacific Northwest and Spain. The initial trials were on conventional fruit, but its organic certifications give it a path to organic growers and packers as well.

Related:Canada finally implements bankruptcy protection for produce shippers

Beall calls it a “wonderfully structured film,” that works as an oxygen barrier by leaving a residue on the fruit or vegetable comprised of more than 1,000 layers, yet 20 times thinner than a human hair. NatuWrap can be applied to fresh produce via dip tanks, wash lines, drenchers, spray bars, cooling tubes or fogging without impacting taste or texture, or leaving an odor.

Produce industry veteran Jamie Strachan, who is CEO of the company, said the all-natural solution works well on all fruits and vegetables. He noted that it has been used by organic producers of citrus, apples, cherries and pears in multiple countries.

Nabaco officials say NatuWrap does the work of Ethoxyquin, DPA or 1-MCP and other synthetic chemicals like 2,4-D, which has been used to extend fruit quality in storage. They say the formulation can help prevent superficial scald in apples and pears. Trials show it extends the color window in pears, reduces dehydration in organic apples, and for cherries it extends green stem life and reduces pitting. They also report that the reduction of decay and weight loss in citrus are impressive.

Related:Growing organic acreage strengthens nationwide sales

Other trial work has shown green stem and moisture retention in grapes and extension of shelf life and ready-to-eat windows in avocados, melons and tomatoes.

One dozen pears treated with

Far superior to wax

In the fruit market, NatuWrap was first marketed as an alternative to fruits coatings such as carnauba wax. Beall said NatuWrap is far superior than wax in many different respects, including extending shelf life. He said it can also be used to deliver other post-harvest beneficial additives to the fruit or vegetable product. He calls NatuWrap “a processing aid,” that offers additional advantages depending upon the fruit in question. For example, Beall noted that scuff is a common problem with pears as they go through the process of being washed and packed. Beall said pears treated with NatuWrap have a far superior appearance after they are packed and displayed at retail.

As a rule of thumb, Beall said users should expect a doubling of post-harvest shelf life and 30% improvement in storage and transport quality.

Applicable anywhere in production process

Strachan added, “the simplicity of our organic product is that it can be added to water anywhere in the production process for any crops to extend storage, shipping and shelf life and reduce chemicals, plastics and food loss.” 

He believes there is no direct comparison to any resin or wax. “NatuWrap acts as a virtual modified atmosphere,” he said. “Applied through water in many different ways, it’s a processing aid that dramatically increases shelf life by leaving residue on the fruit that acts as a passive gas and moisture barrier.”

Reiterating the comments of Beall, Strachan said NatuWrap is a tremendous delivery platform for whatever the packer wants to apply in the most efficient manner. He said its water solubility is another great asset, which allows it to be applied virtually anywhere and also allows the consumer to wash off the residue under tap water.

Success across categories

Strachan said that while NatuWrap has been used commercially mostly on storage fruits, use on cherries and other fruits and vegetables have proven that it is advantageous across a broad list of categories. He expects the tomato, banana, melon and grape sectors to be prime targets as NatuWrap can offer both extended shelf life and a better way to apply other crop protection tools, including biologics both pre-harvest and during packing.

Bruce Parkins, operations manager for Washington Cherry Growers LLC, Wenatchee, Washington, recently said the company used NatuWrap on its conventional cherries this past season and was very pleased with the results. “We had a very good experience with the product this year,” he said, adding that his team has been trialing NatuWrap for the past three years. “It took us a while to figure out how and where we should add it to the packing process.”

They used it on cherries extensively in 2024. “It basically extended the shelf life of our cherries 6 to 8 days and longer,” Parkins revealed. “The stems stayed greener longer and the fruit looked very good compared to product that had only gone through a chlorine bath.”

He noted that the packer experimented with different rates of application and discovered they were able to get excellent results with a very low level of application of 0.5 to 1 ppm. “At that level we still got excellent results with no detectable residue on the fruit,” he said.

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About the Author

Tim Linden

Freelance writer

Tim Linden is a journalist specializing in the ag space with a special emphasis on fresh produce. He also has written stories on a plethora of topics for other special interest publications including city magazines, the culinary arts and a wide variety of business publications. He and his wife live in the San Francisco Bay Area and enjoy all it has to offer, including great food and wine, miles of hiking trails and easy access to overseas travel. They have three adult children who also live in Northern California.

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