Patent application for combined PEF and VI treatment

On Friday, April 12, OptiCept announced that the company has filed a patent application for a new application area. The patent is related to improving the organoleptic properties of fruit and vegetable products by using the company’s CEPT (Controlled Environment Pulsed electric fields Treatment) and VI (Vacuum Infusion) technology platforms. If approved, we believe it will strengthen OptiCept's already strong technology position and potentially broaden its long-term product offering. However, the big picture of the investment story still relates to commercialization progress, on which we do not expect new patents to have a significant impact.

Patent for a new application area

Following successful outcomes with pineapple chunks, OptiCept has filed a patent application for a new area of application for its technology platforms. The application includes a Pulsed Electric Field (PEF) step followed by a vacuum injection step, either in combination or separately, to soften fruit or vegetable products. In this process, the products are impregnated with fruit or vegetable juice to enhance their color and texture. According to the company, this technology can naturally enhance the organoleptic properties of products, making them more appealing to consumers through improved texture, consistency and color. With improved quality, customers can also increase margins on existing products and create new products.

The patent could pave the way for OptiCept to enter new market segments

In our opinion, the newly filed patent related to improving the organoleptic properties of fruit and vegetable products is of particular interest because, based on the announcement and our assessment, the new application can be used to serve the company's promising customers in the fruit and vegetable industry, such as Dole. OptiCept has previously announced that it is conducting pineapple trials in collaboration with Dole, and we interpret this patent application as a positive sign of progress in these trials. However, we acknowledge that it is difficult to assess the economic value of this patent until concrete commercial applications are developed and brought to market. Therefore, we view the patent as a long-term option as part of the company's value and it does not lead to any immediate changes in our estimates, target price and/or recommendation.