Project
* Development of antimicrobial films containing natural plant extracts
In most foods, the surface growth of microorganisms is one of the major causes of food spoilage. Two general approaches, heat sterilization and direct addition of antimicrobials have been used to minimize or eliminate microbial growth. In conventional thermal processing such as pasteurization and sterilization, foods are sealed in packages and then thermally processed. The roles of packaging are to withstand thermal treatment conditions and to act as a barrier against contamination. Later, aseptic packaging technique, in which the product and the package are separately sterilized then aseptically filled and sealed, has been applied. Another approach to retard microbial growth is a direct addition of antimicrobials into foods or on the food surfaces. Nevertheless, this type usually does not inhibit all microbial growth but is selective for only certain extent. In most cases, the use of additives is regulated and limited by food regulations, and their use must be claimed on the label of food products.
Novel packaging technologies are continually being developed to extend the shelf-life and improve the food safety or enhance the sensory attributes of foods. Active packaging is an innovative food-packaging concept and has been launched as a response to the rapid changes in current consumer demands and market trends. Active packaging refers to a technology in which the package interacts with the internal package atmosphere and/or the food product. Most important active packaging concepts are O2 and ethylene scavenging, CO2 scavenging and emitting, ethanol emitting, moisture absorbing, antimicrobial releasing, antioxidant releasing, flavor and odor releasing or adsorbing.
Antimicrobial film is one of the most promising applications of active packaging where the active ingredient is released from the film onto the food surface and inhibits the surface growth of microorganisms. Since the major factors of food spoilage derives from microbial contamination on the food surface, antimicrobial packaging may provide an effective solution for food surface contamination problems. Recently, an incorporation of antimicrobial agents into polymeric materials for food-packaging application has been reported. The active agent should be incorporated into the food-contact layer of packaging materials to fulfill with antimicrobial purpose. Polyethylene has been widely used as the food-contact films, serving as an inner heat-sealant. The purposed or tested substances for antimicrobial activity in packaging films include silver-substituted zeolite, fungicides such as imazalil and benomyl, organic acids and their anhydrides, bacteriocins etc. Due to the perceived lower risk of naturally-derived antimicrobial agents to the consumer, the use of these agents as additives in films is of increasing interest. However, there are few published data in the scientific literature that relate to antimicrobial food packaging film containing natural extracts. As no single antimicrobial agent can cover the requirements for the preservation of all foodstuffs, it is essential to investigate a number of different candidates when developing this kind of technology.
This research aims to fabricate antimicrobial films containing natural Thai plant extracts or their principal constituents, to test the antimicrobial activity these against a range of target microorganisms, to investigate the physico-mechnical properties of the films, to study the release of active ingredients from the films, to assess the feasibility of their use in food packaging application and to evaluate the shelf-life of the film.
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