Food packaging anti-mold

In the UK, about 15 million tons of food are discarded each year, mostly due to spoilage or mold production, of which bread is one of the most wasted food, estimated at up to 4, 4 million tons / year. Tesco, the largest supermarket chain in the UK, said last month that nearly 50 percent of the bread sold was in the trash.

In a bid to curb waste, scientists from Janssen Pharmaceuticals and Symphony Environmental plastics maker have teamed up to develop a plastic food storage bag that protects bread and cheese from mold.

New packaging technology came out after two years of research called D2P , compressing antimicrobial and anti-mold agents into plastic. They are proven to control foodborne botulism such as E. coli, Salmonella and Listeria. It also inhibits the growth of fungal growth in bread and other fungi such as Mucor piriformis as a rotting fruit and Penicillium roqueforti found in cheese.

Tests show that new packaging can increase the shelf life of breads and cheeses without compromising on product quality. The research team is currently working with a number of food manufacturers and supermarkets to use new packaging for their products.

Michael Stephen, director of Symphony Environmental, said the product could also be used to preserve fruit, vegetables and even meat. He also believes that D2P technology will be applied to test tubes, door handles and handrails to limit the spread of pathogenic bacteria.