Anyone who’s confronted a wilted stalk of celery or moldy cucumber in the veggie bin will appreciate a new package from Israel-based StePac.

It’s designed to lengthen the shelf life of fresh produce significantly and reduce waste in the supply chain and in consumers’ homes.

The innovative packaging solution is a resealable standing pouch made with the company’s proprietary Xgo modified atmosphere and humidity technology that slows aging and ripening.

Divine Flavor, a San Diego-based grower-owned distributor of fruits and vegetables and part of Grupo Alta, tested and adopted StePac’s new standing pouches to provide field-to-home refrigerator packaging of Persian cucumbers for the US market.

“The Xgo standing pouch is a remarkably high performing product, with an unrivalled ability to retain freshness and meaningfully extend product shelf life,” said Michael DuPuis, quality assurance coordinator for Divine Flavors.

“The feedback from our customers has been excellent; they’re really happy with the quality and attractive appearance and the fact that it has that sustainability edge consumers are seeking.”

The Xgo technology lowers oxygen and increases carbon dioxide inside the bag, inhibiting the growth of mold and other microorganisms and preserving freshness and nutrients.

The resealable packages with a convenient grab handle are available in fully recyclable formats. Gary Ward, business development manager for StePac, says the standing packages can extend shelf life by 50 to 100 percent.

“In the midst of current Covid-19 climate, concerns for food safety are driving demand for more retail packaging,” he said. “We have purpose designed our packaging to preserve quality and reduce waste in the most sustainable way possible.”