ARS | Publication request: Antimicrobial Activities and Water Vapor Barrier of Starch-Lipid Based Edible Coatings on Fresh Produce

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: July 20, 2010
Publication Date: July 20, 2010
Citation: Liu, S.X., Felker, F.C., Singh, M. 2010. Antimicrobial Activities and Water Vapor Barrier of Starch-Lipid Based Edible Coatings on Fresh Produce. Institute of Food Technologists Meeting. 00:000-000.

Technical Abstract: The uses of edible antimicrobial films or coatings have been proven to be a novel way of suppressing pathogen contaminations of fresh foods where physical barriers alone aren’t enough. In the present study, we embedded essential oils into a proprietary starch-lipids composite, called Fantesk, to inhibit growths of microorganisms and to reduce moisture loss of fresh produce. Plant essential oils such as cinnamon oil, oregano and garlic oil were used to test the bactericidal activities with concentrations of essential oils ranging 0% (control) to 0.5% w/w). The starch-lipid based coatings with essential oils were effective in inhibit bacterial strain such E. coli. The order of antimicrobial activities was oregano oil first, garlic oil, second, and cinnamon oil last. The novel starch-lipid coatings also reduce the moisture loss of the fresh produces. The amount of moisture loss reduction depends on starch/oil ratio in the Fantesk composite.