Abstract
Fresh products are characterized by reduced shelf-life because they are an excellent growth medium for a lot of microorganisms. Therefore, the microbial spoilage causing significant food supply losses has become an enormous economic and ethical problem worldwide. The antimicrobial packaging is offering a viable solution to tackle this economic and safety issue by extending the shelf-life and improving the quality and safety of fresh products. The goal of this study was to investigate the effects of a food contact surface of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) functionalized with the previously characterized antimicrobial peptide mitochondrial-targeted peptide 1 (MTP1), in reducing the microbial population related to spoilage and in providing the shelf-life stability of different types of fresh foods such as ricotta cheese and buffalo meat. Modified polymers were characterized concerning the procedure of plasma-activation by water contact angle measurements and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy measurements in attenuated total reflection mode (ATR-FTIR). Results showed that the MTP1-PETs provided a strong antimicrobial effect for spoilage microorganisms with no cytotoxicity on a human colon cancer cell line. Finally, the activated polymers revealed high storage stability and good reusability. This study provided valuable information to develop alternative antimicrobial packaging for enhancing and extending the microbial quality and safety of perishable foods during storage.
Highlights
Short shelf-life of fresh foods represents one of the main limitations for the commercialization of this class of products, mainly due to their high content in nutrients and superficial moisture which leads to the fast growth of spoilage and pathogenic microorganisms (Aymerich et al, 2008; Patsias et al, 2008; Zhou et al, 2010)
Surface properties of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) are usually inadequate in terms of wettability and adhesion properties, so it should be modified in order to improve its desired surface features and enhance its suitability, prior to any further processing, such as functionalization with biologically active molecules
This study revealed that a 15-mer antimicrobial peptides (AMP) could be covalently bound to the surface of PET materials, to produce highly stable antimicrobial packaging, which could be successfully used to improve the quality and safety of fresh products, maintaining the nutritional values during storage
Summary
Short shelf-life of fresh foods represents one of the main limitations for the commercialization of this class of products, mainly due to their high content in nutrients and superficial moisture which leads to the fast growth of spoilage and pathogenic microorganisms (Aymerich et al, 2008; Patsias et al, 2008; Zhou et al, 2010). It is well-known that microbial growth on the surface of a product is often responsible for the undesirable changes in flavor, aroma, and other organoleptic. The compound exhibited significant bactericidal activity against Listeria monocytogenes, one of the most important foodborne pathogens
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