A Rutgers scientist has developed a plant-based coating that can be sprayed on food to protect it from harmful organisms.
Reducing the adverse environmental impact of plastic food packaging is one of the benefits of the process.
"We knew we needed to get rid of the petroleum-based food packaging that is out there and replace it with something more sustainable, bio- and eco-friendly," said Philip Demokritou, director of theNanoscience and Advanced Materials Research Center. We wondered if we could design food packaging with a function to extend shelf life and reduce food waste.
"We have come up with a technology that allows us to turn biopolymers, which can be derived as part of a circular economy from food waste, into smart fibers that can wrap food directly," said demokritou. This is part of a new generation called smart and green.
The research was funded by the Harvard-Nanyang Technological University/ Singapore sustainable Nanotechnology Initiative.
The new type of packaging technology using the polysaccharide/biopolymer-based fibers is described in their article. Like the webs cast by the Spider-Man character, the stringy material can be spun from a heating device that resembles a hair dryer and "shrink-wrapped" over different types of food. The material that is used to cover food products is strong enough to protect it from being bruised.
Quantitative assessments show that the coating extended the shelf life of the fruit by 50 percent, and a description of the technology used to make it is included in the research paper. According to the study, the coating can be washed off with water.
There is a serious issue with the proliferation of plastic products in the waste stream. Legislation in New Jersey to eliminate plastic shopping bags at grocery stores can help curb the use of plastic. He didn't want to do more.
"I'm not against the use of plastic." Only a small amount of the plastic can be recycled, so I'm against it. During the Age of Plastic, we have placed 6 billion metric tons of plastic waste into the environment. Slowly, they are degrading. These tiny fragments are making their way into the water, the food and the air.
There are rising evidence points to health implications.
There are naturally occurring antimicrobial ingredients in the new fibers of the food. Smart materials can be programmed to act as sensors to make sure food arrives undamaged. Growing concern over food-borne illnesses and lower incidence of food spoilage will be addressed by this.
The scientists who conducted the research are from Harvard University.
More information: High-throughput coating with biodegradable antimicrobial pullulan fibres extends shelf life and reduces weight loss in an avocado model, Nature Food (2022). DOI: 10.1038/s43016-022-00519-6 Journal information: Nature Food
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