Harvard University and Rutgers University scientists have developed a new plant-based coating that can reduce the negative effects of plastic food packaging on both the environment and human health. The developed coating can be applied to food by spraying, while it can be removed from food by washing.
Could be a solution to plastic food packaging
Plastic food packaging, which causes millions of tons of waste every year, is among the main problems of environmental pollution. In addition, the high microbial contamination in petroleum-based plastic packages and containers causes negative effects on human health.
The research team announced that they have developed a new method that can overcome these problems. The new coating method developed consists of biopolymer fibers bonded with naturally occurring antimicrobial substances such as oregano oil, citric acid and nisin.
The new coating, produced with a technology called focused rotary jet spinning, can be rinsed with water and degraded in the soil within three days. In tests, it was observed that the coating extended the shelf life of avocados by 50%.
Philip Demokritou, one of the study’s authors, said: “What we’ve come to is a scalable technology that allows us, as part of the circular economy, to transform biopolymers from food waste into smart fibers that can wrap food directly. It’s part of the next generation of ‘smart’ and ‘green’ food packaging.” made statements.
The team says the coating they’ve developed can reduce the environmental impact of petroleum-based plastic products. While the plant-based coating does not affect the quality of the edible product, it also provides protection against shipping damage.
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