What it does
Fruit Safe disinfects fruit in rural areas with limited access to clean water, chemicals, or electricity. Its portable, mechanical design improves food safety by eliminating microorganisms.
Your inspiration
The lack of safe disinfection methods in rural areas motivated me to design Fruit Safe. Many families consume fruit exposed to bacteria and pesticides, without access to drinking water or expensive disinfectants. I sought to create a portable, mechanical, and sustainable solution that would allow fruit to be disinfected efficiently without electricity, using recyclable materials that are easy to produce locally, thereby improving food safety and the health of vulnerable communities.
How it works
Fruit Safe is a portable system consisting of a bucket with a rotating inner basket. The fruit is placed in the basket, a mixture of water and natural disinfectant is added, and the rotation is activated by a manual crank. The centrifugal motion allows the disinfectant liquid to cover all surfaces of the fruit evenly, eliminating bacteria, residues, and microorganisms. Excess liquid is then easily drained off. It requires no electricity and can be made from recycled plastics, making it sustainable, economical, and adaptable to rural areas with limited resources.
Design process
The process began with identifying the problem in rural communities: a lack of safe methods for disinfecting fruit. I analyzed different existing technologies and focused the design on simple mechanical principles, without the need for electricity. I made the first sketches by hand, exploring manual rotation mechanisms and folding structures to facilitate transport and storage. The first prototype was a basic model with a fixed basket, which allowed me to validate the size and capacity. I then incorporated a manual crank rotation system, improving the coverage of the disinfectant and the efficiency of the process. Subsequent prototypes included recyclable materials such as polypropylene and sealing tests to prevent leaks. I adjusted the size of the basket, the support mechanism, and the rotation angles to optimize cleaning without damaging the fruit. Currently, the model combines portability, ease of use, sustainability, and low cost, ready to be produced and field tested.
How it is different
Fruit Safe is unique because it combines mechanical simplicity, portability, and sustainability in a single device. Unlike expensive industrial systems or ineffective traditional methods, it works without electricity, using a manual rotation mechanism that ensures uniform disinfection. Its structure makes it easy to transport to rural areas, and its manufacture from recycled plastics reduces costs and environmental impact. Furthermore, it is designed to be accessible to communities with limited resources, offering a safe, economical, and adaptable solution that does not depend on complex infrastructure.
Future plans
The next steps include conducting field tests in rural communities to validate the device's effectiveness in real-world conditions. Subsequently, I will seek partnerships with social organizations, NGOs, and government entities for its production and distribution on a larger scale. I also plan to optimize the materials for more efficient local production, further reduce costs, and explore improvements such as optional additional filters. My goal is for Fruit Safe to become an accessible tool that improves food security in vulnerable populations.
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