European consumers may soon seethe first commercial application ofConserver 21, a product whichpromises to add weeks to the shelflife of fruits, vegetables, flowers and meat. It works by converting ethyl-ene given off by decaying foodstuffinto carbon dioxide and watervapour. This inhibits decay by slow-ing the growth of bacteria, fungus,and microorganisms. The product ismade in the form of a pellet andused either as small permeablesachets, scattered among the food-stuff, or as fitters, which fit into the(Orient Express, April 1997).