Frequently Asked Questions about EXTRA LIFE® Produce Saver
- Where can I buy Extra Life locally?
- What is the active ingredient in Extra Life?
- Is the active ingredient in Extra Life poisonous?
- What is ethylene?
- How does Extra Life work?
- Is Extra Life easy to use?
- How long will Extra Life last on my shelf at home until I use it?
- Is there an Extra Life refill package available?
- Do I need an Extra Life disk for each refrigerator crisper bin?
- Will the Extra Life disk work on the refrigerator shelf?
- Will the Extra Life disk absorb odors?
- Will Extra Life work on meat or milk products?
- How much longer will my fruits and vegetables last with Extra Life?
- Will Extra Life work outside the refrigerator?
- Is there any fruit or vegetable that Extra Life doesn't help?
- Do I still use plastic bags when storing vegetables in the refrigerator crisper bin with Extra Life?
- How does the ethylene get into the disk if my produce is in the plastic bags that the grocery store provides?
- Can I "save" it once it has been activated?
- Will my vegetables be harmed if they come in conact with the Extra Life disk?
- What about using the perforated plastic vegetable bags you can buy for storing veggies?
- How was Extra Life tested?
- Can you smell ethylene gas?
- Does the Extra Life disk give off an odor?
- How long does Extra Life last?
- Is Extra Life safe to use around children?
- Which fruits and vegetables produce the most ethylene?
Where can I buy Extra Life locally?
We're working hard to increase consumer (and reseller) awareness of Extra Life. To-date the customer base for Extra Life has grown largely by word-of-mouth, somewhat of a "grass-roots movement". Given enough time, and repeated product requests, the large grocery merchants will recognize that customers who use Extra Life buy more produce than those who don't and will add it as a standard stocking item. Some national retail chains that frequently stock Extra Life are Wal-Mart Super Center stores, Bed Bath and Beyond, Wild Oats Natural Marketplace and Albertsons.
What is the active ingredient in Extra Life?
Inside the Extra Life disk is a breathable pouch which contains natural zeolite pellets that have been coated with a 6% solution of potassium permanganate. This formula has been used commercially in the produce industry for more than fifty years and is scientifically proven to oxidize 97% of the ethylene gas that is released by fruits and vegetables as they ripen in a refrigerator. The ethylene is chemically attracted to the potassium permanganate and is converted to harmless water vapor and carbon dioxide.
Is the active ingredient in Extra Life poisonous?
No. The active ingredient in Extra Life is natural zeolite and potassium permanganate, neither of which are poisonous. We can tell you, however, that it doesn't taste very good.
What is ethylene?
Ethylene is a naturally occurring ripening gas. As most fruits and many vegetables mature, they produce ethylene, which accelerates the ripening process. Without ethylene, some items, such as bananas, would never ripen. When plants ripen in their natural environment, the ethylene is released into the surrounding air and naturally dissipates. However, when fresh produce is placed in the refrigerator crisper bin, the ethylene gets trapped and builds up, which accelerates the ripening process. This accelerated ripening can cause produce to spoil rapidly. Extra Life was specially designed to alleviate this problem. It contains an active ingredient which has been used in the produce industry for decades and is scientifically proven to eliminate up to 97% of the ethylene gas in a confined space.
How does Extra Life work?
Inside the Extra Life disk is a breathable pouch which contains natural zeolite pellets that have been coated with a 6% solution of potassium permanganate. This formula has been used commercially in the produce industry for more than forty years and is scientifically proven to oxidize 97% of the ethylene gas that is released by fruits and vegetables as they ripen in a refrigerator. The ethylene is chemically attracted to the potassium permanganate and is converted to harmless water vapor and carbon dioxide.
Is Extra Life easy to use?
YES! Remove the gold freshness seal on the back of the Extra Life disk and drop one disk into each refrigerator crisper bin. That's all there is to it. It doesn't matter how the disk lands, the ethylene gas is attracted to the active ingredient inside the Extra Life disk. How you store your produce in the refrigerator can make a big difference.
How long will Extra Life last on my shelf at home until I use it?
Extra Life will last for 1 year if it remains sealed in the package. Once it is removed and activated it will expire in 12 weeks.
Is there an Extra Life refill package available?
The Extra Life disk is not intended to be opened. There is no refill package available. If your Extra Life disk has expired you can discard it with your regular trash or recyclables.
Do I need an Extra Life disk for each refrigerator crisper bin?
Yes. It's a good idea to separate fruits and vegetables into different bins and use an Extra Life disk in each crisper bin to control the ethylene production of the fruits and keep the ethylene from reaching the more ethylene-sensitive vegetables.
Will the Extra Life disk work on the refrigerator shelf?
Yes. Melons are often stored on the shelves of refrigerators because they're too large for the bins. Cantaloupes are high producers of ethylene; an Extra Life disk placed next to a cantaloupe will help it to stay fresh longer. Watermelons are extremely sensitive to ethylene. A watermelon will also last longer if an Extra Life disk is placed next to it on your refrigerator shelf.
Will the Extra Life disk absorb odors?
While the main function of Extra Life is to control ethylene in the home refrigerator, a secondary benefit is the absorption of odors thanks to the properties of zeolite (part of the active ingredient inside the disk).
Will Extra Life work on meat or milk products?
No. Extra Life is designed to control ethylene. Ethylene is a ripening agent produced by plants. Animal products do not produce ethylene and are not affected by it. If you happen to discover something that does keep meat and/or milk fresh longer, we would love to discuss it with you!
How much longer will my fruits and vegetables last with Extra Life?
Extra Life will keep your produce fresh up to twice as long in the refrigerator. Each variety of fruit or vegetable has its own storage life in the refrigerator. For example, iceberg lettuce usually lasts 7-14 days in the refrigerator; with Extra Life it will last from 2 weeks to one month if properly refrigerated. If a fruit or vegetable grows a fuzzy mold or becomes mushy in one spot, the decay is probably due to mold or bacteria rather than ethylene damage. It's important to be sure that temperature, humidity and ethylene are controlled in the refrigerator to receive the maximum benefits of Extra Life.
Will Extra Life work outside the refrigerator?
Extra Life must be used inside a refrigerator for the maximum benefits. It controls ethylene in an enclosed refrigerated space. Putting an Extra Life disk in a fruit bowl that's on a counter will not control the ethylene. Placing an Extra Life disk in a covered potato or onion bin in a root cellar or cool environment will help to prevent sprouting in the potatoes and onions.
Is there any fruit or vegetable that Extra Life doesn't help?
Extra Life will not stop the ripening of bananas. They are green when they arrive in the U.S. Grocery stores often ripen them by putting them in ethylene rooms where they are exposed to ethylene gas until they begin to turn yellow. Then they are put in the produce departments for purchase. Once a banana has been exposed to such a high concentration of ethylene and it sits on the kitchen counter waiting to be eaten, it's difficult to stop the ripening process.
Do I still use plastic bags when storing vegetables in the refrigerator crisper bin with ExtraLife?
Yes, it's recommended that plastic bags be used when storing most vegetables and fruits in the refrigerator. Just use the bags provided by the grocery store and put the bagged produce into your refrigerator's crisper bins. Leafy greens especially need to be stored in plastic bags. However, the bags should never be tightly sealed, otherwise moisture will build up and cause bacterial and mold growth. The bags should be left open or loosely tied at the ends.
How does the ethylene get into the disk if my produce is in the plastic bags that the grocery store provides?
The plastic bags that grocery stores provide are made of polyethylene, which is not a strong barrier to ethylene. The Extra Life disk is made of polypropylene plastic because ethylene gas will not easily pass through it. The breathing slots on the back of the cartridge allow the ethylene gas to reach the active ingredient inside the cartridge where it's neutralized.
Can I "save" it once it has been activated?
Yes. Remove it from the refrigerator bin and use clear tape to completely seal the breathing holes on the back of the cartridge. Store it in a plastic zip-lock bag.
Will my vegetables be harmed if they come in contact with the Extra Life disk?
No. The active ingredients in Extra Life are contained in a breathable pouch inside the disk. There is no way for food to come into physical contact with the zeolite and potassium permangante, neither of which is toxic.
About using the perforated plastic vegetable bags you can buy for storing veggies?
The perforated vegetable bags are a good partner with Extra Life because the tiny holes in the bags allow the vegetables to "breathe" while providing humidity protection.
How was Extra Life tested?
A nationally known independent laboratory tested Extra Life and found that it oxidized 97% of the ethylene produced by fruits and vegetables in a refrigerated environment. The U.S Department of Agriculture, in USDA Handbook #668, recommends the active ingredient inside the cartridge to counteract the negative effects of ethylene.
Can you smell ethylene gas?
No. Ethylene is colorless and has a slightly sweet odor only in concentrated form. It's not harmful to humans or animals and does not affect meat, poultry or non-plant foods.
Does the Extra Life disk give off an odor?
No, the active ingredient has no odor. When the ethylene is oxidized and converted into water vapor and carbon dioxide, these by-products are also odorless.
How long does Extra Life last?
From the time the gold freshness seal on the back of the cartridge is broken, it will continue to work effectively for 12 weeks in the refrigerator.
Is Extra Life safe to use around children?
The active ingredient in Extra Life is non-toxic and fosters no bacterial growth. It gives off no vapors other than water vapor and has no volatile components. It is not an EPA waste hazard and you can discard it with your regular trash. The potassium permanganate pellets inside the Extra Life disk are oxidizers and are not for human consumption and can be irritating to body tissue and may temporarily stain tissue brown upon contact. The cartridge should not be opened. If it is opened and there is eye contact, immediately flush with water. If ingested, drink several glasses of water or milk and call your doctor.
Which fruits and vegetables produce the most ethylene?
In general, fruits give off more ethylene than vegetables; vegetables are more sensitive to the effects of ethylene. It is important to separate ethylene producers from ethylene sensitive fruits and vegetables when you store them. Ideally, two crispers are best.
EXTRA LIFE® AT-A-GLANCE
- Saves You Money
- Helps You Waste Less Produce
- Safe And Easy To Use
- Each Disk Lasts 3 Months
- No Messy Storage Bags To Clean
- Scientifically Proven
- Recyclable
- MADE IN THE USA
EXTRA LIFE® is available at:
- Amazon.com
- Bed Bath and Beyond (Retail stores only)
- Whole Foods (Retail stores only)
