Recipient Organization
MICHIGAN STATE UNIV
(N/A)
EAST LANSING,MI 48824
Performing Department
Packaging
Non Technical Summary
Consumption of fruits and vegetables has rapidly increased in recent years due to their associated health benefits.1-2 Specifically, fresh-cut fruits and vegetables are an important growing segment of the U.S. food industry since consumers seek for healthy, ready-to-eat food. In 2012, the U.S. fresh-cut produce market was estimated to surpass $27 billion.3 Fresh-cut fruit retail sales increased by 10.3%, while fresh-cut vegetable retail sales increased by 5.5% from 2012 to 2013.4 The market for whole and fresh-cut produce continues to grow as consumers continue to seek healthy food. Fresh produce is one of the most perishable types of food since it cannot be processed (e.g., sterilization) to slow down physiological and microbial deterioration, unlike most other types of food. Additionally, the increasing number of foodborne outbreaks related to fresh-cut produce6-11 makes the control of foodborne pathogens in this sector a key to preventing a major public health problem. As a result of physiological and microbial deterioration occurring during storage and marketing of fresh produce, and especially fresh-cut produce, there is a need to develop effective technologies for maintaining the quality (appearance, flavor, texture, nutritional value) and food safety of whole and fresh-cut produce. Thus, modified atmosphere packaging (MAP). MAP systems that control O2 and CO2 through the use of low permeability packaging films can prolong the shelf life of the fresh produce. MAP in combination with refrigeration can delay deterioration of food and the associated health risks; however, it is not always sufficient to maintain product quality and safety for the desirable marketing period. As an alternative, active packaging was created to match the food product shelf life to the market needs. Active packaging can be defined as the packaging technology where certain additives, known as "active compounds", are incorporated into the packaging material or placed within the packaging container in order to interact directly with the perishable product and/or its environment to extend its quality and/or safety.12 Currently, petrochemical-based packaging materials dominate the food, and specifically the fresh produce, packaging market. Environmental concerns caused by the use of these non-renewable and non-biodegradable packaging materials have created a growing interest in the area of biodegradable alternatives originating from renewable sources. Consequently, there is a growing interest in developing bio-based materials that can satisfy all needs of a particular food packaging application.Packaging materials made from renewable resources with or without active compounds for food packaging applications (very few for fresh produce) have been proposed. However, most of these materials are only of scientific merit and they will most likely not be effective when applied to actual food products in commercial distribution. Therefore, this proposal focuses on the development of new plastics made of renewable resources and created based on the characteristics and needs of the fresh produce and its supply chain for their successful commercial application.Bio-based MAP systems and the incorporation of active compounds into bio-based packaging have the potential to become the most promising forms of packaging. Bio-based MAP and bio-based active packaging can meet consumer and industry demands by delivering safe and high quality food products with a longer shelf life during storage and marketing while creating less of an impact on the environment. Other benefits of this types of packaging for growers, producers, manufacturers, and other groups include reduction of economic losses caused by produce and packaging waste, expansion to new markets (e.g., via exports), and circular economy (replacement of plastic with agrowaste).
Animal Health Component
20%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
10%
Applied
20%
Developmental
70%
Goals / Objectives
The long-term objective is to develop novel packaging with which to deliver high quality and safe whole and fresh-cut produce while reducing the packaging impact on the environment. This long-term objective will be achieved with the following research objectives:(1) bioplastic and biocomposite modification to minimize effects of the surrounding environment (2) technology adaptation to develop desired packaging formats (e.g., pouch, tray) made from bioplastics and biocomposites(3) active compounds selection for specific applications taking into consideration their efficacy on extending the shelf life of various packaged whole and fresh-cut products using petroleum-based materials (4) development of bio-based MAP systems to deliver high quality and safe whole and fresh-cut produce(5) development of bio-based active packaging to deliver high quality and safe whole and fresh-cut produce
Project Methods
Activity 1: bioplastic and biocomposite modification to minimize effects of the surrounding environment Additives (e.g., plasticizers, fillers) will be mixed with the polymer matrix using different tools including a brabender. The resulting mixtures will be converted into films/sheets using a hydraulic press. Some of the mixtures will be used as coatings. Some of the films/sheets will be coated with a moisture barrier material made from natural resources using the bar coating technique.Resulting films/sheets will be characterized as follows:Mechanical properties: the elongation at break (Eb), tensile strength (σmax), and modulus of elasticity (E) of bioplastic films/sheets will be measured.Barrier properties: water vapor, oxygen, aroma and ethylene transmission rates will be determined.Moisture uptake determination: the moisture sensitivity of the bioplastic sheets/films at different temperatures will be determined using an electrobalance.Optical characterization: bioplastic films/sheets will be optically characterized by using a colorimeter and a spectrophotometer. Stability of the active layer: the stability of the coated layer will be will be assessed using the pull-off test and scanning electron microscopy as described in Gartner et al. (2015).23 Activity 2: technology adaptation to develop desired packaging formats (e.g., pouch, tray) made from bioplastics and biocompositesFilms/sheets obtained from phase 1 will be converted into trays and bags as follows:Trays will be obtained using a thermoforming machine. Pouches will be obtained by shaping the films obtained by compression, cast film extrusion, or blow film extrusion into pouches using a common heat sealer. Resulting pouches and trays will be characterized by comparing them to controls (pouches and trays made of a petroleum-based plastic (e.g., polypropylene, polyethylene) and a commercially available bio-based plastic (e.g., PLA) in a similar mater as explained in phase 1 for films/sheets. Activity 3: active compound selection for specific applications taking into consideration their efficacy on extending the shelf life of various packaged whole and fresh-cut products using petroleum-based materials Active compounds for petroleum-based active packages: highly porous compounds (e.g., cyclodextrins, zeolites, MOFs) or not (e.g., activated carbon, agrowaste) that have the capability to encapsulate and/or release substances to affect produce quality and safety (e.g., antimicrobials, water, carbon dioxide, ethylene) will be put in sachets and then the sachets will be sealed. The sachets will be added to packages containing fresh produce (e.g., fresh-cut lettuce). A glove box will be used if the commodity requires a gas composition different from air. Packages without sachets will be used as controls. The packages will be stored for 10 days at 3 °C using controlled environment rooms. Packaging will be done three times within two months to obtain three replications. Produce will be evaluated initially and after 3, 6, and 10 days of storage. Alternatively, active packages for produce will be developed using the packaging design previously developed by this research team instead of a sachet.42Validation of developed petroleum-based active packages: Shelf-life studies will be carried out in order to determine the effectiveness of the developed active packages on produce shelf-life extension. Physiological, physico-chemical, and microbiological changes of produce in controls and treatments will be assessed. Activity 4: development of bio-based MAP systems to deliver high quality and safe whole and fresh-cut produceThis phase deals with the development and validation of bio-based MAP systems to deliver high quality and safe whole and fresh-cut produce. In order to do so, the following steps will be taken:Packaging: Packages (pouches and trays with lids) will be obtained by shaping the films/sheets from phase 1 into pouches, lids, and trays using phase 2 results. Packages identical in thickness and size but made of a petroleum-based plastic (e.g., polypropylene, polyethylene) or a commercially available bio-based plastic (e.g., PLA) will be used as controls. Treatments and controls will be filled with whole and fresh-cut produce (e.g., blueberries).The packages will be stored for 10 days at 3 and 10 oC (temperature abuse) using controlled environment rooms. Packaging will be done three times within two months to obtain three replications. Produce will be evaluated initially and after 3, 6, and 10 days of storage. Sensory evaluations: Sensory evaluation will be used to investigate whether panelists can or not differ between produce stored in bio-based packaging and controls after several days of storage at specific temperatures to Almenar et al. (2010).17 Shelf-life studies: Same as in activity 3. Packaging material characterization: Samples taken from three control packages and three bio-based packages before and after exposure to produce will be assessed for barrier and mechanical properties.Activity 5: development of bio-based active packaging to deliver high quality and safe whole and fresh-cut produceThis phase deals with the development and validation of bio-based active packaging to deliver high quality and safe whole and fresh-cut produce. In order to do so, the following steps will be taken:Development of bio-based active packages: compounds selected in phase 3 will be made part of the bio-based material by applying them to the package film as a coating using the bar coating technique or as described in da Neto Rocha et al. (2019).42 Several rocessing variables will be explored . After the addition of produce to the packages and their sealing, the packages will be stored. Packages without active coating will be used as controls. The packages will be stored for 10 days at 3 oC using controlled environmental rooms. Packaging will be done three times within two months to obtain three replications. Produce will be evaluated initially and after 3, 6, and 10 days of storage.Validation of developed bio-based active packages: Shelf-life studies will be carried out as explained in phase 3. Additionally, packages containing produce inoculated with a pathogen (e.g., Salmonella Typhimurium) will be evaluated.