Fruits and vegetables provide important dietary nutrients, but they tend to be highly perishable which leads to food waste. In response, scientists from China have figured out a new way to extend the life of produce--by adopting a method similar to one used on patients in hospitals.


Fruits and vegetables provide important dietary nutrients, but they tend to be highly perishable which leads to food waste. 
In response, scientists from China have figured out a new way to extend the life of produce--by adopting a method similar to one used on patients in hospitals.
The tool involves plasma which, the Daily Mail reports, is “an ionised gas consisting of positive ions and free electrons.”
In a medical setting, it has been used for applications including disinfection and wound healing; its potential has also been recognized by the food industry.
So the team decided to try using the technology to eliminate biofilm, a layer of bacteria and other microorganisms on a food’s surface which causes it to deteriorate. 
They focused their initial tests on apples and found that, by using plasma, they could extend the shelf-life from a few days “up to several weeks.” 
Going forward, the team hopes to apply this method to a wider variety of produce, notes Gizmodo.