Location: Food Quality Laboratory
Project Number: 8042-43440-006-017-S
Project Type: Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: May 19, 2025
End Date: Jul 31, 2026
Objective:
The proposed project is two fold: 1) test our in-house coatings to determine critical properties under certain environments and on different surfaces; 2) modified coatings to develop novel coatings that could be more adaptable to fresh produce to deter organic particles, bacteria and fungi.
Approach:
The cooperator will apply the developed formulation to fabricate innovative surfaces incorporating nano-particle coatings. These coated surfaces will be tested to evaluate their performance and effectiveness on both direct and indirect food-contact surfaces, ensuring their suitability for various food processing environments. Additionally, the cooperator will focus on refining and optimizing the nano-particle coating formulations to enhance their functionality, durability, and safety. As part of the technology development process, the cooperator will also conduct economic feasibility studies to assess the practicality and cost-effectiveness of adopting this novel technology on a commercial scale. In collaboration with ARS scientists, the Cooperator will further disseminate findings and promote the application of this advanced surface technology to key industry stakeholders, facilitating potential adoption and implementation.