Food Packaging in Perspective of Microbial Activity: A Review

Abstract

A successful packaging technique demands certain barriers for microbes, achieved through controlled conditions to indicate microbial growth, levels of oxygen, harmful bacterial and fungal toxins, moisture levels, and the indicators for temperature and time. Active food packaging is greatly being applied these days for food safety against harmful microbes. Food is protected from biological, physical, and chemical damages caused by pathogenic microbes through different technologies of packaging including modified atmosphere packaging and controlled atmospheric packaging through antimicrobial films. Moreover, it is essential to use selective materials suitable for different food stuffs for the maintenance of nutritional value of foods. Use of various gas scavengers and bio-based package designing are also greatly helpful towards enhanced shelf life of food products.

Insight on Incorporation of Essential Oils as Antimicrobial Substances in Biopolymer-Based Active Packaging

“…Packaging with antimicrobial activity is reflected in a physical combination of two or more chemically different phases, where one of the phases is the matrix of the packaging, while the other phases are in the form of embedded substances with antimicrobial properties [ 122 ]. One important advantage of antimicrobial packaging is that it is a more effective system than directly adding an antimicrobial agent to food.…”

“…), antibiotics (natamycin), surfactants (lauric arginate), and other compounds (phenolic, Maillard reaction products, etc.). Regardless of which substance it is, the selection of suitable packaging material should be based on its spectrum and mode of action, chemical composition, and speed of action [ 122 , 123 ].…”

“…It most often happens that a certain antimicrobial substance is effective only on one group of microorganisms. That is why silver ions are often used due to the wide spectrum of antimicrobial activity against gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria, fungi, protozoa, and certain viruses [ 122 , 124 ]. In addition to silver, metal oxides such as TiO 2 , ZnO, and MgO have antibacterial activity attributed to their effect on the cell’s respiratory system (creating reactive oxygen).…”

“…Titanium dioxide is non-toxic and has been approved by the FDA for use in food, drugs, and food contact materials [ 125 ]. On the other hand, ZnO particles in contact with microbial cells can act bacteriostatically or bacteriocidally depending on the concentration of the compound, but they act equally well on gram-positive and -negative bacteria [ 122 ]. For now, the only assumed bactericidal mechanism of MgO is related to the production of high concentrations of superoxide anions on its surface, which react with the carboxyl groups of peptide bonds in bacterial cells, thereby destroying them [ 122 ].…”

Overview on Innovative Packaging Methods Aimed to Increase the Shelf-Life of Cook-Chill Foods

“…To extend the shelf-life of a foodstuff it is crucial to measure the microbiological count by optimizing some factors including oxygen partial pressure, moisture and water activity, sunlight exposure and initial microbial charge [79].…”