If a consumer wants fresh cut or processed mushrooms, he often has to make a choice based on compromises: processed mushrooms have a long shelf life but often contain salt and preservatives, and fresh cut mushrooms taste fresh but are perishable. Scelta Mushrooms' Ecopouch seeks to offer a third option with packaging that preserves the flavor of fresh mushrooms, extends shelf life to two years and does it all without any added salt or preservatives.
“In our view, the days of traditional food preservation are numbered,” said Jeroen Dekkers of Scelta Mushrooms. “In classic vegetable preserving, salt and various acids are added to stabilize color, flavor and pH. Furthermore, traditional preserves are very energy intensive to produce, the amount of waste is high and its taste does not come near that of fresh produce.” In contrast, the Ecopouch contains mushrooms that have been packed and boiled in their own juices in order to get the best out of fresh and preserved mushrooms: a shelfstable mushroom in pouch packaging with a long shelf life, a fresh flavor and fresh texture.
“These mushrooms are fresh cut and packed in a pouch packaging,” explained Dekkers. “No other additions are being used, and it contains 100 percent mushrooms.” The natural juice, because it comes only from the mushrooms it's packaged with, can be used in dishes without the worry that it will increase the sodium content of the meal. In addition to flavor, the environmental impact of the pouch is also note worthy.
“The production and transport of our pouches are more energy efficient than traditional preserves and reduce the overall environmental impact,” said Dekkers. The light weight of the pouch also means lower transportation and storage costs.
“There is considerably less waste,” said Dekkers. “Both mushrooms and juice can be used, reducing the residual product left in the packaging to zero, while the packaging itself can be recycled.”
