High-Throughput Coating with Biodegradable Anti-Microbial Pullulan Fibres Extends Shelf-Life and Reduces Weight Loss in an Avocado Model

When and Where

Nov 28, 2022
8:00pm - 10:00pm

Hynes, Level 1, Hall A

Presenter

Huibin Chang

Jie Xu

Luke Macqueen

Zeynep Aytac

Michael Peters

John Zimmerman

Tao Xu

Philip Demokritou

Kevin Parker

Co-Author(s)

Huibin Chang¹,Jie Xu¹,Luke Macqueen¹,Zeynep Aytac¹,Michael Peters¹,John Zimmerman¹,Tao Xu¹,Philip Demokritou^1,2,Kevin Parker¹

Harvard University¹,Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey²

Abstract

Huibin Chang¹,Jie Xu¹,Luke Macqueen¹,Zeynep Aytac¹,Michael Peters¹,John Zimmerman¹,Tao Xu¹,Philip Demokritou^1,2,Kevin Parker¹

Harvard University¹,Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey²

Food waste and food safety motivate the need for improved food packaging solutions. However, current films/coatings addressing these issues are often limited by inefficient release dynamics that require large quantities of active ingredients. Here we developed antimicrobial pullulan fiber (APF)-based packaging that is biodegradable and capable of wrapping food substrates, increasing their longevity and enhancing their safety. APFs were spun using a high-throughput system, termed focused rotary jet spinning (FRJS), with water as the only solvent, allowing the incorporation of naturally derived antimicrobial agents. Using avocados as a representative example, we demonstrate that APF-coated samples had their shelf life extended by inhibited proliferation of natural microflora and lost less weight than uncoated control samples. This work shows that FRJS is a promising technique to produce scalable, low-cost, and environmentally friendly biodegradable antimicrobial packaging systems.