Essential oil-based solution protects fruit from fungi

FAPESP-supported startup develops formulations based on bio-inputs to combat fungal infections and reduce the use of pesticides in fruit growing.

By Roseli Andrion  |  Agência FAPESP – Who hasn’t been frustrated when buying a seemingly perfect papaya at the supermarket, only to find it covered in dark spots a few days later? This common occurrence for consumers is a reflection of a longstanding issue in agribusiness: food loss due to fungal attacks. The solution to protect crops has been the intensive use of agrochemicals, raising concerns about the environment, health, and sustainability. This practice has become almost inevitable, especially in Brazil, but it results in soil and water contamination, biodiversity imbalance, and direct health risks.

Aware of this impasse, the startup Prospecta has developed, with support from FAPESP’s Innovative Research in Small Businesses Program (PIPE), a natural biodegradable antifungal agent to ensure healthier food and better protected crops. The idea came from biologist Erika Mattos Stein, who decided to combine her academic knowledge and entrepreneurial spirit to develop less aggressive agricultural inputs that are more integrated with nature and leverage the value of Brazilian biodiversity assets.

The agritech solution is a formulation based on a bio-input – a biological product developed from microorganisms, plant materials, or other natural substances. This type of formulation is commonly used to combat pests and diseases, improve soil fertility, and encourage plant growth.

The solution is based on an essential oil with proven antifungal properties. “Our proof of concept showed that it has very interesting potential,” Stein reports.

However, since essential oils can be phytotoxic, using them in their pure form in agriculture can damage the fruit. To overcome this limitation, the startup team developed a nano/microstructure formulation that protects the essential oils and allows for their safe, effective, and gradual release. This is essential to protect the plant or fruit from the direct action of the oil while maintaining antifungal efficacy for longer without causing damage.

Encapsulation not only prevents phytotoxicity but also enhances the effectiveness of the oil. “In this way, we were able to enhance the action of the oil, which was already excellent,” Stein reveals. The formulation is being characterized at Start Bio, an acceleration program focused on products and services from biotechnology startups and maintained by the Institute for Technological Research (IPT), which is linked to the State Department for Economic Development.

Currently, the Prospecta team is studying the physiology of the fruit. “The goal is to ensure that the solution does not compromise the quality of the final product in aspects such as texture, aroma, and metabolism.” The studies are conducted in partnership with the Food Department of the School of Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of São Paulo (FCF-USP). “We want to assess whether there’s a delay in ripening, how the coating forms, what changes occur, whether the formulation has preventive and curative effects, and so on,” Stein explains.

The project is carried out in partnership with EMBRAPA Acre – the decentralized unit of the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (EMBRAPA) for the Brazilian state of Acre –, which conducts phytotoxicity tests in greenhouses. This is a crucial step in validating the formula’s safety. “In the first experiment, after ten days, at different concentrations, there was no phytotoxicity. We’re very optimistic,” says Stein.

The expectation is that, by the end of 2026, the project will reach technological readiness level TRL6 (on a scale from 1 to 9 used by the U.S. space agency, NASA, and other sectors to measure the maturity and readiness of a technology, evaluating it from basic principles to implementation in real operations). Reaching TRL6 means that the functional prototype has been demonstrated in a relevant environment and is close to becoming a commercial product.

Strategic advantage

The product can be applied in two distinct stages of the production chain. The first stage is directly in the field as an alternative to or complement for traditional chemical fungicides. “The product can be applied in rotation with agrochemicals or replacing them,” Stein explains. With this method, producers can reduce the amount of chemicals applied without losing effectiveness; even organic producers can use the formulation.

The second application option is during fruit processing. After harvesting, papayas undergo a process that includes washing, selection, and, in many cases, the application of carnauba wax to delay ripening. “At this stage, the formulation can be applied by spraying or immersion,” Stein explains. The goal is for the substance to form a protective barrier similar to that obtained with carnauba wax but with the added benefit of having active antifungal properties.

Although papaya is the first fruit studied by the researcher, the market potential of the solution is great. “Currently, we’ve already tested five species of fungi that affect different crops, such as strawberries, coffee, and others. This demonstrates the versatility of the solution.” This diversity is strategic because many of these pathogens attack important crops, paving the way for the formulation to be used more widely.

Prospecta aims to align with an irreversible global trend: the demand for healthier foods and more sustainable agriculture. “We want to have products that meet this need without affecting productivity, safety, and the environment.”

In Brazil, the bio-inputs market has grown by an average of 21% annually over the last three years, reaching annual revenues of BRL 5 billion in the 2023-2024 harvest, thanks to the growing demand for sustainable production systems. In addition to efficiency, these products promote environmental and social benefits: they reduce workers’ exposure to chemicals, minimize food residues, and offer an ecological alternative to traditional methods.

According to Stein, Prospecta is a biochemical-biological company. This distinction is important because, unlike traditional biological products, which use live microorganisms (such as beneficial bacteria and fungi), biochemical-biological products come from natural sources, such as essential oils extracted from plants. Therefore, the startup’s solution is similar to agrochemicals in terms of application but maintains an ecological approach, facilitating adoption by producers accustomed to this type of use in the field.

Invisible enemy

To understand how papayas become infected, it is necessary to examine the production chain. The challenge lies in the journey of the fruit from the field to the consumer’s table. The disease cycle is deceptive: fungal spores most often infect the plant during the flowering period, when the papaya tree’s flowers are open and most vulnerable.

However, the damage is not immediately visible. The disease remains latent and only manifests when the fruit ripens, which occurs during transport or on supermarket shelves. At this point, the papaya’s skin and pulp soften, providing an environment conducive to the proliferation of the fungus. This leads to dark spots and rot.

Stein, a native of the state of Espírito Santo, is familiar with the particularities of papaya production. The state is the largest exporter of papayas in Brazil and the second largest producer in the country, behind only Bahia. “The papaya tree is a particularly vulnerable plant. It’s a crop that often causes producers to want to give up because it suffers from cold, rain, diseases, and pests,” he explains.

Fungal infections are chronic and cause economic losses throughout the value chain. To combat pathogens, the industry uses agrochemicals. In papaya cultivation, the use of these products is concerning, as it is in the same category as strawberries in terms of chemical load. To reduce this, carnauba wax is commonly used. However, although it delays ripening, it does not protect against the fungus because it does not address the root of the infection.

While exports are strictly monitored, the domestic market does not have the same level of control, exposing domestic consumers to higher levels of residue. “Our proposal is to offer a competitive, effective, and sustainable option to be integrated into conventional or organic production.”

Female entrepreneurship

Stein faced challenges when she transitioned from academia to entrepreneurship. “For researchers, this is very complex,” she says. “Researchers are trained to solve technical problems and focus on methodology and the success of the trial. I had to learn to combine scientific research with market insight to understand who the consumer is, what the production challenges are, and how the solution fits into the real context of agriculture.”

To better understand this field, she participated in the Nidus program, an innovation residency promoted by the University of São Paulo (USP), which aims to develop and prepare innovative ideas and projects for startup development. The two-year program prepared her to answer crucial questions. “This background even helped me with the PIPE Empreendedor [High Technology Entrepreneurship Training Program] later on because I had already conducted interviews and researched the market.”

When choosing the company’s name, the researcher sought to reflect the venture’s purpose: prospecting for new biodiversity assets and transforming them into useful, sustainable products for society. The company’s mission is to develop effective solutions that protect crops, promote human and environmental health, and contribute to a more sustainable and innovative agribusiness.