Antimicrobial food packaging
In this article, the main focus is on antimicrobial food packaging and the different antimicrobial substances used in antimicrobial food packaging.
Antimicrobial food packaging
Conventionally food products are added with preservatives as ingredients, and the packaging material stays neutral. But imagine the food packaging is actively interacting with the food apart from its conventional protective function, which can be considered active packaging. Antimicrobial food packaging comes under active packaging.
As the name suggests, the packaging surrounding the food itself is antimicrobial. Antimicrobial food packaging incorporates antimicrobial agents into a polymer film, which leads to a controlled release of them during shelf life to suppress the activities of targeted microorganisms (spoilage & pathogenic) contaminating foods.
The primary goal of antimicrobial food packaging is food safety, followed by food quality maintenance and shelf life extension. At the same time, conventional packaging is the other way around. It targets shelf life extension as the dominant goal, followed by food quality maintenance and food safety.
An antimicrobial agent is not a food ingredient but an additive to packaging material. However, most antimicrobial agents migrate into packaged food; therefore, the package additive should satisfy all the regulations for food ingredients.
Examples
Antimicrobial substances can be added during,
formulation of packaging material
post-application of antimicrobial substances after formulating packaging material (coating, adsorption)
Immobilization of antimicrobials
Sometimes there are antimicrobial polymers that are inherently antimicrobial.
Example - Chitin
The addition of sachets, pads, dispensers, and capsules is also considered antimicrobial packaging.
Oxygen-absorbing systems can prevent the growth of molds inside packages.
CO2 emitter sachets
Potassium permanganate sachets as ethylene scavengers
Different antimicrobial substances used in antimicrobial food packaging
Antimicrobial substances that can be used are,
Metals - Silver, Titanium
Chemicals - Sorbic acid, benzoic acid, propionic acid, and mainly Na, K salts of consecutive acids
Plant extracts/ essential oils
Carvacrol (oregano), thymol (thyme oil), eugenol, cinnamaldehyde
Clove extract
Grapefruit seed extract
Enzymes - lysozyme, lactoferrin, and lactoperoxidase
Bacteriocins
Nisin
Pediocin PA1
Enterocin AS48
Lacticin 481
Conclusion
In this article, the main focus was on antimicrobial food packaging and the different antimicrobial substances used in antimicrobial food packaging.
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