NATURSMOKE Project: Residue-Free Post-Harvest Protection for a Sustainable Agri-Food Sector

At a time when sustainability and reducing the use of chemicals are priorities, the Spanish agri-food sector needs new solutions that protect crops and plant products without harming the environment. The post-harvest stage is particularly delicate since fruits and vegetables, once harvested, are highly susceptible to fungal and bacterial attack, resulting in quality loss, shorter shelf life, and significant economic impact. To address this challenge, the company was created. GO NATURSMOKE, an Andalusian Operational Group that supports natural fumigation technologies as a real and effective alternative to conventional treatments.

A multidisciplinary consortium for a global challenge

The GO NATURSMOKE project is comprised of a multidisciplinary Andalusian consortium. The initiative is led by the company Bioplagen, a Seville-based company specializing in sustainable environmental control systems and disinfection treatments. The Granada-based company is also participating. DOMCA, leader in the development of natural solutions for the agri-food industry and the Seville region Agriculture and Testing SL, responsible for validating the solutions under laboratory and agronomic conditions. The scientific component is provided by the BIO160 group of the University of Granada, which has delved into the mechanisms of action and the toxicological evaluation of the formulations used. Finally, the coordination of sectoral outreach activities has been supported by Biovegen, Plant Biotechnology Technology Platform and with the work of Vector Horizonte.

Promising results in real-life conditions

One of the main achievements of GO NATURSMOKE has been the development of new generation fumigation devices, designed to protect fruits and vegetables without leaving residues.

DOMCA has played a central role in this breakthrough, leading the research of new botanical extracts with high efficacy against both phytopathogenic and post-harvest fungi and bacteria. These natural compounds, developed by DOMCA's R&D team, have been the basis for the design of fumigants capable of releasing their active ingredients in the form of smoke, enabling homogeneous, safe environmental disinfection without direct contact with the product.

BIOPLAGEN has played a key role in transforming the compounds developed by DOMCA into advanced technological formats, viable for application under real-world conditions. Its contribution has been essential for the design of smoke prototypes ready for validation on an industrial scale. Furthermore, this technology stands out for its ease of use, as it requires no additional handling by the operator and is specifically designed for use in cold storage and other facilities in the fruit and vegetable sector.

The project has successfully completed its technical development phase, with excellent results in both laboratory tests and pilot trials conducted in real-life commercial settings. Independent evaluations conducted by Agricultura y Ensayo and the University of Granada have confirmed the effectiveness of these devices against high-impact pathogens such as Botrytis, Penicillium, Alternaria either Pseudomonas, responsible for significant economic losses in the Spanish fruit and vegetable sector.

Sustainability, efficiency and transfer to the sector

One of NATURSMOKE's greatest distinguishing features has been its firm commitment to technology transfer to the production sector. Throughout the project, technical workshops, webinars, and meetings have been organized with companies, cooperatives, and operators in the fruit and vegetable sector, who have shown a high level of interest in these types of solutions, fully aligned with the new demands of the global market. Sustainability has also been a cross-cutting theme throughout the project. The active compounds, supplied by DOMCA, come mostly from reclaimed plant byproducts, which not only reduces the environmental impact of the process but also contributes to the circular economy. Furthermore, the water sustainability approach takes on special relevance in this context: as this is a dry fumigation technology, it requires no water consumption, which represents a key competitive advantage in regions subject to structural water stress, such as southern Spain.

A greener future for post-harvest conservation

The project's results confirm that it is possible to drastically reduce the use of chemicals without compromising food safety or shelf life. The next steps will focus on expanding commercial validation, exploring its applicability to different crops, and moving toward harmonized regulations that allow for its adoption by operators throughout the value chain. The commitment to clean technologies like those developed by GO NATURSMOKE responds to the new paradigm of greener and more competitive agriculture.

GO Natursmoke has a total budget of €291,639 and is funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) and the Regional Government of Andalusia under the 2022 call for the Operation of Regional Operational Groups of the European Innovation Partnership on Agricultural Productivity and Sustainability.