In all likelihood, you would not eat a week-old sandwich for lunch, a 30-day-old peach for a snack or finish off your day with a filet of 10-day old fish. But keeping food fresh without a freezer is not so far-fetched with a new import.

Salvatore Giglia and his wife Sharon Jorgensen of Marion are working to get a product called Ovtene into the hands of food packagers across the country.

Created in Italy through a cooperation with Ovtene’s CEO Alberto Tomasini and the University of Udine, the product is made of calcium carbonate and a patented blend of minerals that Giglia says keep bacteria at bay while preserving freshness.

The company unusual name comes from the item that inspired it – eggshells, which are composed of over 90 percent calcium carbonate.

“Ov” means egg, “tene” means to hold or preserve, said Giglia.

The company prides itself on being eco-friendly. Manufactured without the use of water or trees, Ovetene’s 100 percent recyclable packaging can double and even triple the life of many foods, said Giglia.

He should know. The couple’s refrigerator and countertop have been a test kitchen of sorts for the product. Chocolate, cherries and tomatoes are currently under observation to see how they fair for weeks and even months compared to a control group.

“Exposure to the light actually charges the minerals,” said Giglia, who has eaten a refrigerated week-old chicken sandwich preserved in an Ovtene bag without any digestive complications.

Giglia and Jorgenson have also documented Ovtene’s effect on cheeses (for which the product was originally created), deli meat, fish and bread.

After six months of such informal testing, Giglia knew he had to bring Ovtene to the States.

It’s not just the couple’s kitchen that has been invaded with the product. Their home has been Ovtene Central since they established Arcadia North America, the sole American distributor, marketer and eventually manufacturer for the product.

“I never thought I was going to be working like Steve Jobs out of my garage,” said Giglia,who also deals in old master paintings and Italian wine.

The operation has now migrated to the basement, but the pair is planning to open a corporate office in Marion soon, followed by a plant on the South Coast so Ovtene can be produced in country.

The couple is marketing Ovtene to people in the food industry, but Jorgensen said the product has great implications for consumers.

“My neighbor has three kids and for her to have food last longer is a big deal,” she said.

“You can wash it, dry it and reuse it until the mineral charge dies. You’re going to break it before that happens,” said Giglia.

Giglia said the product can be made thinner than tissue paper and has diverse uses. Beyond food preservation, it can be used as the lining paper in shoeboxes, the wrapping for feminine hygiene products and as an eco-friendly packaging option.

Convinced of the merit of Ovtene, already used in Italy and Germany, Giglia hopes it will soon become a staple in the U.S.

Ovtene launched at the International Dairy-Deli-Bakery Association in New Orleans earlier this year, and Giglia is already in talks with a major deli packager, butter and cheese companies as well as some large private labels.

“This product is a game changer. It is something the industry needs,” he said.