Edible Film May Kill Bacteria in Refrigerated Foods

Lactoperoxidase (LPS) incorporated edible film has good potential for bacterial inhibition use in refrigerated foods as well as meat, poultry and seafood, claims a new study in the journal Food Microbiology and Safety.

Antimicrobial edible films and coatings have received attention since they have a good potential to delay microbial spoilage of food and to reduce the risk of surface contamination of food by microorganisms.

According to the researchers, incorporation of biopreservatives, especially bacteriocins and antimicrobial enzymes, as well as plant extracts into edible films have gained significant interest in the food industry due to their greater acceptance by the increasing number of consumers seeking ‘natural’ products.

The authors of the study said that the enzyme, LPS, which is often used to improve the microbial quality of milk and cheese, has a broad antimicrobial spectrum, and they added that the concept of using the enzyme in antimicrobial packaging is quite novel.

Source: FoodProductionDaily.com