Summerland Company Invents Extraction Technology
10/11/2012
A small company in Summerland has discovered a way to extract nutrients from fruits and vegetables using water instead of chemicals.
Dr. Joe Mazza of Mazza Innovations Inc says his system is a first of it's kind in the world.
"What we're doing with this technology is we are modifying the properties of the water to make it behave like an organic solvent so that we can extract the same compounds that are now being extracted with organic solvents."
The federal government has announced they will invest $175,000 so Mazza can develop a demonstration sized system to use with prospective customers.
Mazza says the system could be used for anything from dietary supplements to pharmaceuticals.
"At this point in time the focus is primarily on antioxidant and anti inflammatory compounds."
The system uses pressurized water instead of chemicals thus making more environmentally and health conscience products.
Mazza is now hoping to sell his technology to companies and says he already has four or five interested organizations both globally and locally.
The project is funded under the Agricultural Innovation Program as part of Canada's Economic Action Plan 2011.
Mazza's system is the first one of it's kind in the world as he currently holds the only patents in Canada and the United States.
Anita Sthankiya -Penticton