2423642
Project Grant
Overview
Grant Description
SBIR Phase I: Innovative solutions for sustainable agriculture: enhancing post-harvest quality, reducing contamination, and easing sterilization for value added mushroom producers.
The broader/commercial impact of this Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project is to develop a more efficient and sustainable way of producing mushrooms in a novel farming set-up.
Currently consumer demand for mushrooms exceeds supply, and demand is growing very fast in the US and across the world.
Some challenges faced by specialty mushroom growers in operating their businesses include the resource intensive requirements for growing the mushrooms as well as losses incurred due to the short shelf life of the harvested mushrooms.
This proposal explores deep, transformative science questions with the goal to implement a novel technology to help mushroom growers overcome these challenges.
Successful implementation will result in the growers operating more successful businesses, and will facilitate more novice growers to enter the market.
The overall outcome will be an increase in supply to meet the unmet demand of the US consumer.
Currently there is a great reliance on imported mushrooms to meet some of the demand.
This project will enable an increase in domestic production capabilities thus improving national security, and will support the White House’s national strategy on food insecurity and better health.
The innovative research proposed in this project is to define and implement a plasma treated water sterilization method that will impact multiple stages of mushroom cultivation and has the potential to transform production processes by reducing labor, water, and energy usage while enhancing product quality and extending shelf life.
The application of plasma treated water in mushroom growing is relatively unexplored but seems promising as it has known antimicrobial activity due to reactive nitrogen and oxygen species.
The reactive oxygen and nitrogen species also are known to boost post-harvest quality in mushrooms.
However, there is risk that antimicrobial activity could also harm fungal mycelium and delay, inhibit, or otherwise disrupt growth resulting in yield loss.
The project seeks to understand the impacts of plasma activated water on mushroom production and seeks to minimize the deleterious impact on fungal mycelium and mushrooms while maximizing its benefit.
Successful applications of plasma activated water for mushroom production through this Phase I project will bring a significant efficiency gain for mushroom growers and reduced reliance on resources will enable production of mushrooms in formerly inaccessible environments (such as in austere and isolated environments), thus opening new markets while providing more sources of nutrition to the local populations.
This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
Subawards are not planned for this award.
The broader/commercial impact of this Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project is to develop a more efficient and sustainable way of producing mushrooms in a novel farming set-up.
Currently consumer demand for mushrooms exceeds supply, and demand is growing very fast in the US and across the world.
Some challenges faced by specialty mushroom growers in operating their businesses include the resource intensive requirements for growing the mushrooms as well as losses incurred due to the short shelf life of the harvested mushrooms.
This proposal explores deep, transformative science questions with the goal to implement a novel technology to help mushroom growers overcome these challenges.
Successful implementation will result in the growers operating more successful businesses, and will facilitate more novice growers to enter the market.
The overall outcome will be an increase in supply to meet the unmet demand of the US consumer.
Currently there is a great reliance on imported mushrooms to meet some of the demand.
This project will enable an increase in domestic production capabilities thus improving national security, and will support the White House’s national strategy on food insecurity and better health.
The innovative research proposed in this project is to define and implement a plasma treated water sterilization method that will impact multiple stages of mushroom cultivation and has the potential to transform production processes by reducing labor, water, and energy usage while enhancing product quality and extending shelf life.
The application of plasma treated water in mushroom growing is relatively unexplored but seems promising as it has known antimicrobial activity due to reactive nitrogen and oxygen species.
The reactive oxygen and nitrogen species also are known to boost post-harvest quality in mushrooms.
However, there is risk that antimicrobial activity could also harm fungal mycelium and delay, inhibit, or otherwise disrupt growth resulting in yield loss.
The project seeks to understand the impacts of plasma activated water on mushroom production and seeks to minimize the deleterious impact on fungal mycelium and mushrooms while maximizing its benefit.
Successful applications of plasma activated water for mushroom production through this Phase I project will bring a significant efficiency gain for mushroom growers and reduced reliance on resources will enable production of mushrooms in formerly inaccessible environments (such as in austere and isolated environments), thus opening new markets while providing more sources of nutrition to the local populations.
This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
Subawards are not planned for this award.
Awardee
Funding Goals
THE GOAL OF THIS FUNDING OPPORTUNITY, "NSF SMALL BUSINESS INNOVATION RESEARCH (SBIR)/ SMALL BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER (STTR) PROGRAMS PHASE I", IS IDENTIFIED IN THE LINK: HTTPS://WWW.NSF.GOV/PUBLICATIONS/PUB_SUMM.JSP?ODS_KEY=NSF23515
Grant Program (CFDA)
Awarding / Funding Agency
Place of Performance
Cary,
North Carolina
27513-2041
United States
Geographic Scope
Single Zip Code
Related Opportunity
Analysis Notes
Amendment Since initial award the total obligations have increased 7% from $274,885 to $294,885.
Cosmic Eats was awarded
Project Grant 2423642
worth $294,885
from National Science Foundation in August 2024 with work to be completed primarily in Cary North Carolina United States.
The grant
has a duration of 1 year and
was awarded through assistance program 47.084 NSF Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships.
The Project Grant was awarded through grant opportunity NSF Small Business Innovation Research / Small Business Technology Transfer Phase I Programs.
SBIR Details
Research Type
SBIR Phase I
Title
SBIR Phase I: Innovative Solutions for Sustainable Agriculture: Enhancing Post-Harvest Quality, Reducing Contamination, and Easing Sterilization for Value Added Mushroom Producers
Abstract
The broader/commercial impact of this Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project is to develop a more efficient and sustainable way of producing mushrooms in a novel farming set-up. Currently consumer demand for mushrooms exceeds supply, and demand is growing very fast in the US and across the world. Some challenges faced by specialty mushroom growers in operating their businesses include the resource intensive requirements for growing the mushrooms as well as losses incurred due to the short shelf life of the harvested mushrooms. This proposal explores deep, transformative science questions with the goal to implement a novel technology to help mushroom growers overcome these challenges. Successful implementation will result in the growers operating more successful businesses, and will facilitate more novice growers to enter the market. The overall outcome will be an increase in supply to meet the unmet demand of the US consumer. Currently there is a great reliance on imported mushrooms to meet some of the demand. This project will enable an increase in domestic production capabilities thus improving national security, and will support the White House’s National Strategy on Food Insecurity and Better Health.
The innovative research proposed in this project is to define and implement a plasma treated water sterilization method that will impact multiple stages of mushroom cultivation and has the potential to transform production processes by reducing labor, water, and energy usage while enhancing product quality and extending shelf life. The application of plasma treated water in mushroom growing is relatively unexplored but seems promising as it has known antimicrobial activity due to reactive nitrogen and oxygen species. The reactive oxygen and nitrogen species also are known to boost post-harvest quality in mushrooms. However, there is risk that antimicrobial activity could also harm fungal mycelium and delay, inhibit, or otherwise disrupt growth resulting in yield loss. The project seek to understand the impacts of plasma activated water on mushroom production and seek to minimize the deleterious impact on fungal mycelium and mushrooms while maximizing its benefit. Successful applications of plasma activated water for mushroom production through this Phase I project will bring a significant efficiency gain for mushroom growers and reduced reliance on resources will enable production of mushroom in formerly inaccessible environments (such as in austere and isolated environments), thus opening new markets while providing more sources of nutrition to the local populations.
This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
Topic Code
BT
Solicitation Number
NSF 23-515
Status
(Complete)
Last Modified 11/20/24
Period of Performance
8/1/24
Start Date
7/31/25
End Date
Funding Split
$294.9K
Federal Obligation
$0.0
Non-Federal Obligation
$294.9K
Total Obligated
Activity Timeline
Transaction History
Modifications to 2423642
Additional Detail
Award ID FAIN
2423642
SAI Number
None
Award ID URI
SAI EXEMPT
Awardee Classifications
Small Business
Awarding Office
491503 TRANSLATIONAL IMPACTS
Funding Office
491503 TRANSLATIONAL IMPACTS
Awardee UEI
D6U4MZN5D7F6
Awardee CAGE
999T5
Performance District
NC-02
Senators
Thom Tillis
Ted Budd
Ted Budd
Modified: 11/20/24