This project has been funded through the Call for Grants for Technological Transfer Demonstration Activities of the Rural Development Program of Catalonia 2014-2022 (PDR 2014-2022), by the Department of Climate Action, Food and Rural Agenda of the Government of Catalonia.

The major losses in the viticulture sector come from pathologies caused by fungi, with Botrytis cinerea having the greatest economic impact as it attacks all green parts of the vine, mainly the grapes, reducing not only the quantity of harvested grapes but also their quality and the quality of the wines produced.

There is currently a high demand for effective and sustainable solutions against these losses, incorporating environmentally friendly products as an alternative or complement to phytosanitary treatments based on copper salts or other compounds potentially harmful to the natural environment.

In this context, the demonstrative project of Bio2Coat is being developed, which is a technology of edible functional coatings against grape losses and deterioration, both for winemaking and table consumption. It is a technology that uses only natural compounds (no phytosanitary or synthetic products are used) derived from renewable resources and has been developed by the research group Polyfunctional Polymeric Materials (POLY2) of the Polytechnic University of Catalonia - BarcelonaTech (UPC).

The Bio2Coat coating is composed of a mixture of biopolymers, natural plasticizers, and bioloads, based on a food composition suitable for celiacs and free from allergens, including a part of Attalea speciosa (babassu) along with others derived from agri-food by-products. The developed coating is applied as an aqueous solution, directly wetting the grapes through spraying, atomization, or misting. Once applied and dried, it forms a thin film on the fruit, which serves a dual function: as a physicochemical protective barrier against microorganisms and as a semipermeable barrier against gases, thus controlling the fruit's transpiration. This improves the conservation and natural protection of the grapes, as well as their transportation, storage, and processing under optimal conditions. Additionally, it extends the shelf life, preserves the fruit, reduces losses throughout the chain, and enhances the appearance and quality offered to the end customer.

Results and expected impact:

The result of Bio2Coat is a technology of edible functional coatings that protect and preserve grapes, prolonging their shelf life and reducing losses along the chain.

Bio2Coat will contribute to reducing sector losses and improving food quality and safety. It will directly impact the reduction of losses and food waste, as well as improvements in plant health, prevention, control, and management of pests in the wine sector.

This technology has been protected by patents and transferred to the spin-off company Bio2Coat SL.