Sandra Namboozo and Samuel  Muyita

Food loss and waste accounts for 8-10% of annual greenhouse gas emissions – nearly five times the emissions from the aviation sector. Around 12 million tonnes of fruit and 21 million tonnes of vegetables are lost each year. Namboozo and Muyita both grew up in farming families and witnessed firsthand the devastating impact of post-harvest losses. They set out to develop a natural solution to reduce food waste, leading to the founding of Karpolax to commercialise their sachets.  

The sachets are placed in fruit boxes during storage or transport, where they release a blend of plant-based volatile organic compounds (VOCs). These compounds—extracted from cloves, lemongrass, eucalyptus and wintergreen—work in tandem to inhibit ethylene production, which slows down ripening. These ingredients also offer protection against mould, fungi and bacteria, helping to maintain the freshness, firmness and nutritional value of fruits. Unlike conventional chemical-based preservatives, Karpolax’s biodegradable matrix ensures a controlled, sustained release of these natural compounds, allowing for customised formulations for different fruits. The sachets have been tested on mangoes, bananas, oranges and apples with impressive results. Pilot tests conducted with Uganda’s National Agricultural Research Organization showed that mangoes stored with the sachets remained fresh for 33 days, while those without them lasted only 11 days. 

From research to real-world impact 

Namboozo and Muyita met while studying at Makerere University in Kampala, where they quickly bonded over a shared problem: food spoilage. They were determined to find a solution and with the support of a chemistry professor, began researching plant-derived preservation methods. However, the road to innovation was not easy. “Initially, we did not have access to the equipment, laboratories, the expertise and funding that we needed…We faced many challenges, but we are here because we learned how to be resilient to them,” recalls Muyita.  

The duo spent two years refining their formulation, experimenting with different biodegradable matrices to ensure a controlled and sustained release of VOCs. Their perseverance paid off. They launched Karpolax in 2020 and today are focused on expanding their product line. While the sachets are currently available for mangoes, bananas, oranges and apples, the company plans to introduce formulations for pineapples, capsicum and berries. Their business-to-business and direct-to-consumer sales models ensure that both smallholder farmers and large exporters can access the technology.  

By 2023, they had worked with over 100 farmers, 20 exporters and 250 market vendors, preventing an estimated one million tonnes of fruit from going to waste. Namboozo attributes their success to teamwork. “I strongly believe in the culture of teamwork because when I win, it means the whole team has won…Each person has something valuable to bring to the table.” 

Towards the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 

The sachets support SDG 2 (zero hunger) by reducing post-harvest losses, ensuring more fresh produce reaches consumers, and SDG 12 (responsible consumption and production) by promoting sustainable, biodegradable preservation methods that minimise food waste.