Articles
Scaling the Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Horticulture at UC Davis DryCard
Article number
1364_38
Pages
289 – 298
Language
English
Abstract
Ineffective drying or improper storage of dried commodities drives global food loss and waste and allows for their contamination with mycotoxins such as aflatoxin, which can negatively impact physical and cognitive growth, immune function, and other health outcomes.
To mitigate the risk of fungal growth, it is critical that commodities are thoroughly dried and hermetically stored to avoid rehydration.
However, knowing when products are sufficiently dry is often difficult or expensive.
In the absence of a reliable and affordable indicator, smallholder farmers and traders may determine dryness by biting, touching, or looking at the products.
The DryCard is a low-cost and easy-to-use technology invented by researchers from the Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Horticulture at UC Davis.
It provides users with an accessible way to determine whether their products are dry enough to prevent fungal growth and aflatoxin contamination after harvest.
The DryCard costs approximately USD$ 1.50, does not require electricity, is inherently calibrated, easily understandable, and can be reused many times and with any dried product.
DryCards cobalt chloride strip and calibrated color chart allows users to measure the relative humidity (RH) of the air surrounding the product, in a sealed container.
For all dried products, fungal growth ceases when the RH of air in equilibrium with a product is below 65%, when the cobalt chloride strip is not pink. The DryCard has been proven effective and positively received by government officials, researchers, NGOs and farmers from over 30 countries.
In roughly five years of implementation, tens of thousands of DryCards have been distributed or sold at a profit by in-country entrepreneurial partners in 12 countries.
The strategy of equipping in-country entrepreneurs with a profitable business selling the DryCard has varied in effectiveness, but offers a scaling methodology with considerable potential.
To mitigate the risk of fungal growth, it is critical that commodities are thoroughly dried and hermetically stored to avoid rehydration.
However, knowing when products are sufficiently dry is often difficult or expensive.
In the absence of a reliable and affordable indicator, smallholder farmers and traders may determine dryness by biting, touching, or looking at the products.
The DryCard is a low-cost and easy-to-use technology invented by researchers from the Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Horticulture at UC Davis.
It provides users with an accessible way to determine whether their products are dry enough to prevent fungal growth and aflatoxin contamination after harvest.
The DryCard costs approximately USD$ 1.50, does not require electricity, is inherently calibrated, easily understandable, and can be reused many times and with any dried product.
DryCards cobalt chloride strip and calibrated color chart allows users to measure the relative humidity (RH) of the air surrounding the product, in a sealed container.
For all dried products, fungal growth ceases when the RH of air in equilibrium with a product is below 65%, when the cobalt chloride strip is not pink. The DryCard has been proven effective and positively received by government officials, researchers, NGOs and farmers from over 30 countries.
In roughly five years of implementation, tens of thousands of DryCards have been distributed or sold at a profit by in-country entrepreneurial partners in 12 countries.
The strategy of equipping in-country entrepreneurs with a profitable business selling the DryCard has varied in effectiveness, but offers a scaling methodology with considerable potential.
Authors
A. Jarman, E. McGuire, B. Mitcham, M. Reid
Keywords
food loss, food waste, mycotoxins, relative humidity, dry chain
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