KitoZyme and Janssen PMP have signed an exclusive cooperation agreement for the application of fungal chitosan technology in postharvest storage

The Chinese website of World Agrochemical Network reports:

KitoZyme has entered into an exclusive collaboration agreement with Janssen PMP, a division of Janssen Pharmaceuticals, to test and develop KitoZyme's proprietary chitosan technology for the preservation and storage of posthepatic produce.

Janssen PMP will fund and drive all application testing and development efforts.

KitoZyme, a global leader in the production of high-quality fungal chitosan, has signed an exclusive collaboration agreement with Janssen PMP, a division of Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc., to test and develop KitoZyme's chitosan technology for the preservation and storage of postherpeal produce.

The agreement will leverage Janssen PMP's expertise and resources in this area to address the global problem of food waste. KitoZyme has granted Janssen PMP exclusive rights to test the KitoZyme chitosan technology for the preservation of fruits and vegetables in postharvest storage on a global scale.

Fruit and vegetable crops play a key role in overall food nutrition. More than one third of the world's agricultural products (around US $1 trillion) are lost or wasted as a result of harvest operations, including losses due to fungal and bacterial diseases. Fresh vegetables are living tissues that are highly perishable, and postive fungal and bacterial diseases can cause 40 to 60% of vegetable crop losses per year. Reducing postharvical losses could substantially increase food availability, alleviate growing pressure on food supply shortages and inflationary pressures on global food prices, and make food production more environmentally sustainable.

Geoffroy de Chabot-Tramecourt, Director of R&D and Business Development at Janssen PMP, said: "The use of natural and effective compounds such as KitoZyme's chitosan, the only fungal chitosan approved for posthepial use in Europe and the United States, to control posthepial pathogens and extend the shelf life of fruits and vegetables has been key to the company's growth. In addition, the technology has been approved for organic farming in some EU countries and meets vegetarian standards."

François Blondel said, "We are very pleased to establish this collaboration with Janssen PMP, a division of Janssen Pharmaceuticals and a leader in this field. We look forward to combining our unique fungal biopolymer with high value-added applications."