Skip to main content
ARS Home » Northeast Area » Wyndmoor, Pennsylvania » Eastern Regional Research Center » Microbial and Chemical Food Safety » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #339949
Research Project: Integration of Multiple Interventions to Enhance Microbial Safety, Quality, and Shelf-life of Foods

Location: Microbial and Chemical Food Safety

Title: Antimicrobial edible coatings and films from micro-emulsions and their food applications

Author
item GUO, MINGMING - University Of Delaware
item Yadav, Madhav
item Jin, Zhonglin

Submitted to: Food Control
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/1/2017
Publication Date: 10/13/2017
Citation: Guo, M., Yadav, M.P., Jin, Z.T. 2017. Antimicrobial edible coatings and films from micro-emulsions and their food applications. Food Control. 263:9-16. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2017.10.002.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2017.10.002

Interpretive Summary: Ready-to-eat food, such as deli meat and fresh fruits, could be contaminated with foodborne pathogens. This study used edible antimicrobial coating to inactivate foodborne pathogens on deli meat and fresh strawberries. The coating was developed using the combination of high pressure homogenization technology and bio emulsifiers from plant byproduct. The coating treatments reduced 99% to approximately 99.9% foodborne pathogens on deli meat and strawberries and hence could enhance the safety of ready-to-eat food.

Technical Abstract: This study focused on the use of antimicrobial edible coatings and films from micro-emulsions to reduce populations of foodborne pathogens in foods. Corn-Bio-fiber gum (C-BFG) was used as an emulsifier with chitosan. Allyl isothiocyanate (AIT) and lauric arginate ester (LAE) served as antimicrobials. Micro-emulsions were obtained from a solution consisting of 1% chitosan, 0.5% C-BFG, and 1-4% AIT or LAE which was subject to high pressure homogenization (HPH) processing at 138 MPa for 3 cycles. Coatings and films produced from the micro-emulsions had micro-pores with sizes ranging from 100 to 300 nm and micro-channels that facilitate the release of antimicrobials from the center to the surface of the films or coatings, thus enhancing their antimicrobial efficacy. The coatings and films with 1% AIT reduced populations of Listeria innocua by over 5, 2, and 3 log CFU in culture medium (Tryptic soy broth, TSB), ready-to-eat meat, and strawberries, respectively. The coatings and films with 1% LAE reduced populations of Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella spp. by over 5 and 2 log CFU in TSB and strawberries, respectively. This study provides an innovative approach to develop effective antimicrobial materials from micro-emulsions using a combination of bio-emulsifiers and HPH processing.