Tech Enthusiast Invents PeriPES to Preserve Tomatoes for 4 Months

By Aduragbemi Omiyale

A young tech enthusiast, Mr Daniel Oseni, has invented a cooling system called PeriPES, designed to preserve and store tomatoes for up to 3 to 4 months without getting spoilt.

The device is made of clay bricks, sand, water, and air. It works by reducing the room temperature of the tomatoes to less than 15°C at 90 per cent humidity to stop the production of ethylene, the major chemical component that causes ripening and spoilage in all agricultural products.

“Our technological input is harnessing the power of nature to preserve. This science is known as evaporative cooling.

“It is a circular movement of moist air from a cooler region to a hotter region by passing through a damp sand medium. It is a very viable and stable means of preservation because it creates a conducive humidity for the tomatoes, which helps to retain the nutritional value,” Mr Oseni said of the system.

Explaining what inspired the invention, the inventor said, “Purchasing these tomatoes was a nightmare because they easily got spoilt because the sellers didn’t have a proper preservation and storage system.”

He stated that efforts would be made to “ensure that PeriPES will reach other crop farmers that are vegetable and fruit farming, such as pepper, onion, okra, carrot, cucumber, and cabbage.”

“In the long run, we will save the agricultural sector of the Nigerian economy by reducing the waste coming out by over 50 per cent,” he added, noting that he and his team will also focus on increasing their visibility by 45 to 80 per cent for more productivity and profitability.

Recently, Mr Oseni emerged as the grand prize winner of the 2023 Savvy Prize for Impact-Driven Entrepreneurs.

When asked how the Savvy Prize will help his project become successful, he said, “With our passion and resilience, we will replicate our solution to eight other Nigerian states that are major producers of tomatoes.

Nigeria is the 14th largest tomato producer globally and the second in Africa, producing more than 2.3 million tonnes yearly. Unfortunately, the country spends more than $9.8 billion on importing tomatoes because it doesn’t meet the demand for fresh produce. In previous years, Nigeria has experienced more than 56 per cent of waste due to a lack of proper storage and preservation facilities.

This new solution is expected to reduce post-harvest loss by over 50 per cent and reduce the scarcity of tomatoes, which usually leads to the inflation of the tomato prices, as Mr Oseni believes that PeriPES will ensure the availability of tomatoes all year round, and will subsequently increase the gross domestic product (GDP) of the Nigerian economy.