ARS | Publication request: Development of an Edible Antimicrobial Coating for Perishable Foods

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: August 26, 2010
Publication Date: August 26, 2010
Citation: Liu, S.X., Felker, F.C., Singh, M. 2010. Development of an Edible Antimicrobial Coating for Perishable Foods. 15th World Congress of International Union of Food Science and Technology. 00:000-000.

Technical Abstract: Foods, particularly fresh produces, are vulnerable to bacterial contamination during processing, transportation, and handling in grocery stores and at home. Food grade antimicrobial coating on perishable foods is promising new area of research and practical applications. In this study, we developed an edible antimicrobial coating based on a starch-lipid composite material embedded with natural essential oils. Corn starch was jet-cooked and shearing-mixed with cooking oil to develop a starch-oil composite, a technology we developed and patented at USDA ARS NCAUR. The essential oils such as cinnamon oil and oregano oil were incorporated into the oil phase of the starch-oil composite aqueous solution and the solution was sprayed onto the surface of fresh apple that inoculated with bacteria. The antimicrobial effect of the antimicrobial coating was examined. It was apparent that the coating with essential oils did inhibit the microbial growth and indicated that essential oil migrated from the starch-oil composite. The higher the concentration of essential oils in the composite, the higher the microbial inhibition of the composite coating. This research has proven that starch-lipid composites incorporated with essential oil or other food grade oil-soluble anti-microbial agents are suitable for uses as edible antimicrobial coating for foods.