Antimicrobial Food Packaging with Biodegradable Polymers and Bacteriocins.

Małgorzata Gumienna,Barbara Górna

doi:10.3390/molecules26123735

Małgorzata Gumienna, Barbara Górna

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26123735

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Abstract

Innovations in food and drink packaging result mainly from the needs and requirements of consumers, which are influenced by changing global trends. Antimicrobial and active packaging are at the forefront of current research and development for food packaging. One of the few natural polymers on the market with antimicrobial properties is biodegradable and biocompatible chitosan. It is formed as a result of chitin deacetylation. Due to these properties, the production of chitosan alone or a composite film based on chitosan is of great interest to scientists and industrialists from various fields. Chitosan films have the potential to be used as a packaging material to maintain the quality and microbiological safety of food. In addition, chitosan is widely used in antimicrobial films against a wide range of pathogenic and food spoilage microbes. Polylactic acid (PLA) is considered one of the most promising and environmentally friendly polymers due to its physical and chemical properties, including renewable, biodegradability, biocompatibility, and is considered safe (GRAS). There is great interest among scientists in the study of PLA as an alternative food packaging film with improved properties to increase its usability for food packaging applications. The aim of this review article is to draw attention to the existing possibilities of using various components in combination with chitosan, PLA, or bacteriocins to improve the properties of packaging in new food packaging technologies. Consequently, they can be a promising solution to improve the quality, delay the spoilage of packaged food, as well as increase the safety and shelf life of food.

Highlights

Active antimicrobial packaging serves to protect food products by actively modifying the internal environment and continuous interaction with food in a specified shelf life
There has been an increase in recent years in the production of environmental biodegradable packaging from microbiologically synthesized natural polymers, such as polylactide (PLA) and chitosan, which are useful in food packaging [10,12,13]
Active antimicrobial packaging is an innovative concept in food packaging, which is gaining increasing interest among researchers as well as among producers and representatives of the packaging industry, as they allow the highest quality and safety of food

Summary

Introduction

Active antimicrobial packaging serves to protect food products by actively modifying the internal environment and continuous interaction with food in a specified shelf life. The growing popularity of active packaging results from consumers’ desire for high-quality, safe, and natural products [3] In this technique, packaging materials actively interact with the food product. Active packaging increases shelf life and preserves product quality throughout the entire storage period. It can be used for convenient food that is intended for quick preparation and consumption [10,11]. Controlled diffusion of antimicrobial compounds from packaging materials onto the surface of a food product can delay or inhibit the initial growth of unwanted microorganisms on the surface and create a residual activity that remains during food storage and sale [7,9,16]

Antimicrobiological Packaging

Lactic Acid Fermentation Metabolites

Biopolymer Polylactide

Findings

Conclusions