MustGrow Biologics Corp. (TSX-V:MGRO, OTCQB:MGROF) has announced an expansion to its existing partnership with Janssen PMP, a division of Janssen Pharmaceutica NV with extensive experience in post-harvest treatments and plant protection.
The company said that the existing agreement to test and develop MustGrow’s biological mustard plant-based technologies for certain postharvest food preservation storage applications globally will now also include postharvest potatoes and bananas.
To date, the postharvest evaluation work has produced encouraging and efficacious results, driving the decision to add postharvest potatoes and bananas, according to MustGrow.
The company’s COO Colin Bletsky noted that food storage and preservation continues to be a critical global issue.
"Our current partnership with Janssen PMP on the postharvest food preservation side has produced positive results with our natural technology that continues to open up new market areas and opportunities," he said in a statement.
"Janssen PMP brings more than 50 years of relevant postharvest development and market experience, and it is expected that adding these two key storage applications will help accelerate the commercialization pathway by levering the knowledge generated from testing other fruits and vegetables as well."
Janssen PMP director R&D and Business Development Geoffroy de Chabot-Tramecourt added: "The postharvest banana market is one of our historical markets where the need for natural fungicides is growing. Also, developing a natural technology acting as an anti-sprouting and as a fungicide for stored potatoes is a major opportunity for Janssen PMP and for the industry.”
MustGrow noted that Janssen PMP will continue to fund and drive all the application testing and development work carried out under the partnership.
MustGrow is an agriculture biotech company developing organic biocontrol, soil amendment, and biofertility products by harnessing the natural defense mechanism and organic materials of the mustard plant to sustainably protect the global food supply and help farmers feed the world.
Contact the author at emily.jarvie@proactiveinvestors.com
Follow her on Twitter @emilyjjarvie