Lavomet-Stir

LavoMet-Stir is an innovative food safety solution that addresses the growing concern of heavy metal contamination in beverages and liquid food products, including tea, coffee, herbal infusions, and functional drinks.
The project builds on a proprietary metal-binding technology originally developed within the LavoMet detoxification platform and adapts it into a consumer-ready, single-use format suitable for food and beverage applications.

The core innovation lies in coating a biodegradable wooden stirrer with a functional surface capable of selectively binding heavy metals such as lead, cadmium, and mercury directly from liquids. Unlike conventional filtration or centralized treatment approaches, LavoMet-Stir operates at the point of consumption, requiring no additional equipment, energy input, or changes to existing preparation routines. The user simply stirs the beverage, allowing the active surface to capture dissolved metals, and then disposes of the stirrer.

Within the scope of this project cooperation, the consortium will focus on performance validation in relevant food matrices, food-contact safety assessment, scalability of the coating process, and alignment with EU regulatory and sustainability requirements. Parallel market and user validation activities will be conducted to refine the value proposition for food service providers, specialty beverage brands, and health-conscious consumers.

The project actively seeks collaboration with food and beverage companies, material suppliers, testing laboratories, and market partners interested in co-development, pilot testing, or early market adoption.
By combining scientific validation with a clear commercialization pathway, LavoMet-Stir aims to deliver a market-ready, low-cost, and scalable innovation that contributes to safer food consumption and increased consumer trust.