Progress 10/01/05 to 09/30/10
Outputs
OUTPUTS: Four major outputs were generated by this project in 2010 including (1) development of a method to vastly accelerate high barrier polymer testing using the florescence based gas permeation test recently developed and commercialized in our laboratory, (2) Development of a bench scale photobioreactor in-which to grow algae and diatoms for the purpose of extracting biopolymer precursors and biofuels, (3) drafting of a concise review about the fate of radiolytic products from food packaging additives and (4) development of a food supply chain traceability concept known as "Critical Tracking Event Analysis" as a basis for instituting training and implementation of traceability systems by industry, PARTICIPANTS: Not relevant to this project. TARGET AUDIENCES: Not relevant to this project. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Not relevant to this project.
Impacts
This project generated two major outcomes: (1) Discovery and commercialization of a dynamic polymer film gas permeation test that is significantly less expensive and potentially more accurate than the industry standard steady-state test, and (2) development of the concept of "Critical Tracking Events" and "Critical Tracking Event Analsysis" that is being further developed by industry and the Institute of Food Technologists as a means to train, develop and implement food traceability systems and technology.
Publications
- 44 Journal Article Ana Marie Borda;DG Clark;DJ Huber;Welt Bruce A;Nell Terril A 2010 Effects of ethylene on volatile emission and fragrance in cut roses: The relationship between fragrance and vase life. Postharvest Biology and Technology. 10.1016/j.postharvbio.2010.09.008 refereed Effects of ethylene on volatile emission and fragrance in cut roses: The relationship between fragrance and vase life.
- 40 Journal Article Sungwan Jeon;Jinwoo Kwak;Bruce Welt 2010 Evaluation of polymer-clay nanocomposite barrier coatings using mixtures of two different nanoparticles. Journal of Applied Packaging Research 4 1 22 53 Evaluation of polymer-clay nanocomposite barrier coatings using mixtures of two different nanoparticles.
- 41 Journal Article Jinwoo Kwak;Jeon Sungwan;Bruce Welt;Charles Beatty 2010 Oxygen permeability of semi-rigid polymers coated with polyacrilic acid filled polymer-clay nanocompsite coatings produced under different pH conditions. Journal of Applied Packaging research 4 3 19 169 refereed Oxygen permeability of semi-rigid polymers coated with polyacrilic acid filled polymer-clay nanocompsite coatings produced under different pH conditions.
- 42 Journal Article Jennifer McEntire;S Arens;M Bernstein;B Bugusu;Frank Busta;M Cole;A Davis;W Fisher;S Geisert;H Jensen;B Kenah;B Lloyd;C Mejia;Ben Miller;R Mills;R Newsome;K Osho;G Prince;S Scholl;D Sutton;Bruce Welt;Sarah Ohlhorst 2010 Product tracing in food systems: An IFT report submitted to the FDA, volume 1: Technical aspects and recommendations. Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety 9 1 67 92 refereed Product tracing in food systems: An IFT report submitted to the FDA, volume 1: Technical aspects and recommendations.
- 46 Magazine Article Bruce A Welt 2010 Gas detection revisited. Packaging World DesTech Publications, Inc. 5 Monthly 1 29 Gas detection revisited.
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Progress 10/01/08 to 09/30/09
Outputs
OUTPUTS: Completed work on estimation of hydrolytic degradation of polylactic acid plastic waste. Completed work on evaluation of barrier properties achieved using mixtures of natural and synthetic nanoparticles with different sizes and aspect ratios. Completed developoment work on new technology for measuring oxygen transmission rates in microperforated films. Continued work on development and application of oxygen transmission rate techniques for non-perforated films. PARTICIPANTS: Cesar Moreira - Earned MS - Hydrolysis kinetics of polylactic acid. Sungwan Jeon - Earned MS - Polymer clay nanocomposite barrier coatings. Project supported by US Army Food Lab, Natick. Ayman Abdellatief - Earned MS - Oxygen transmission rate measurment of polymer films. TARGET AUDIENCES: Not relevant to this project. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Not relevant to this project.
Impacts
Oxygen Transmission Rate - Patent applications for technology for measuring oxygen transmission rates in packaging films using a sampling technique that does not consume oxygen were completed. A commercial licensee has been identified and commercial development is underway as well as plans for continued research and development at the University of Florida. This new technique promises to be a cheaper and simpler alternative method than the method most commonly used today. This will allow greater access to analytical techniques necessary to optimize packaging design for foods, medicines, cosmetics and chemicals. Polylactic acid (PLA) hydrolysis - PLA is an increasingly important biodegradable packaging film. Production volumes of the plastic is limited while demand is increasing. Additionally, production is limited to one major company, which means that polymer modifications and improvements are limited to by this supplier. Our laboratory has shown steam hydrolysis to be a potentially effective method for recovering monomer as an alternative to composting. Steam hydrolysis is readily available and could potentially be used to minimize landfill waste while recovering valuable raw materials. Nanoparticle mixtures - Barrier enhancement of plastic films with nanoclays is well known. However, no work had been done on the potential of improving barrier properties by using specific mixtures of particles of different sizes and aspect ratios. This work was done as part of the US Army's quest to develop ultra-high barrier films that do not contain metal foils. Rather than incorporating nanoparticles into base polymers, our laboratory developed a nanoparticle barrier coating system. Using mixtures of natural and syntehtic nanoparticles it was found that barrier enhancement was not achieved, but that optical properties were improved without loss of barrier.
Publications
- Kwak J, Jeon S, Welt BA, Beatty CL. 2009. Estimation of barrier properties of polymer-clay nanocomposite system containing two particle types. Macromolecules, Submitted.
- Kwak J, Welt BA, Beatty CL. 2009. Polymeric nanocomposite coatings on non-polar polyolefin substrate via surface modification using atmospheric pressure plasma treatment. Journal of Applied Packaging Research, 3(1):39-56.
- Abdellatief A and Welt BA. 2009. Method for measuring oxygen transmission rate of perforated packaging films. Journal of Applied Packaging Research. 3(3):161-171.
- Vargas LF, Welt BA, Pullammanappallil P, Brennan A, Teixeira AA, Balaban MO, Beatty CL. 2009. Biodegradation of treated polylactic acid (PLA) under anaerobic conditions. Transactions of the ASABE. 52(3):Accepted.
- Jeon S, Kwak J, Welt BA. 2009. Evaluation of polymer-clay nanocomposite barrier coatings using mixtures of two different nanoparticles. Journal of Applied Packaging Research. Submitted.
- Moreira C and Welt, BA. 2009. Thermal degradation kinetics of polylactic acid packaging waste. In preparation.
- McCombie WC and Welt BA. 2009. Radio Frequency Identification (RFID). Encyclopedia of Packaging Technology. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., NJ.
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Progress 10/01/07 to 09/30/08
Outputs
OUTPUTS: Developed patent pending technology for measuring oxygen transmission rates through packaging films containing microperforations. Performed experiments exploring enhancement of gas barrier properties of packaging films with synthetic nanoparticle coatings. PARTICIPANTS: Not relevant to this project. TARGET AUDIENCES: Not relevant to this project. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Not relevant to this project.
Impacts
We learned how to make accurate oxygen transfer rate measurments in perforated film packages. This allows for proper design of modified atmoshpere packaging for high respiring produce. For nano coating project, we learned how to enhance coating adhesion using atmospheric plasma treatments.
Publications
- Welt BA, Abdellatief, 2008. Method and apparatus for measuring oxygen transmission rate (OTR) of perforated thin films. Patent pending. Others & Welt BA. 2007. Package and method of use for sealants and adhesives. Assigned to GE Sealants and Adhesives. Patent pending. McCombie WC and Welt BA. 2007. Radio Frequency Identification (RFID). Encyclopedia of Packaging Technology. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., NJ. Accepted for publication.Vargas LF, Welt BA, Pullammanappallil P, Teixeira AA, Balaban MO, Beatty CL. 2007. Degradation of polylactic acid (PLA) exposed to steam. Journal of Applied Packaging Research. 2(2)75-87.Scarlatos A, Cadote A, Demarse T and Welt BA. 2007. Biosensor uses cortical networks on microelectrode arrays to detect botulinum toxin. J. Food Sci. 73(3)E129-E136. Abdellatief A and Welt BA. 2007. Modified atmosphere packaging for fresh-cut produce with microperforated films. Journal of Applied Packaging Research. 2(1):1-14. Vargas LF, Welt BA, Seliga J, Pullammanappallil P, Brennan A, Teixeira AA, Balaban MO, Beatty CL. 2007. Effect of γ-irradiation on mechanical properties and molecular weight of thermoformed polylactic acid cups. Journal of Applied Packaging Research, 1(3)181-190.
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Progress 10/01/04 to 09/30/05
Outputs
Work focused on three main areas including food packaging applications, methods for detecting botulinum toxins in packaged foods and development of approaches to improve handling of packaged foods with information technologies. Results related to food packaging applications involved modified atmosphere package (MAP) studies on packaged irradiated fresh cut melon (Boynton et al. 2005a,b), oxygen transmission rate (OTR) on growth of anaerobic bacterial spores (Gnanaraj et al. 2005), application of polylactic acid (PLA) film as a window in paperboard doughnut boxes (Welt et al. 2005) and development of anti microbial packaging using nano sized silver particles. Irradiation of fresh cut melon showed increased shelf life with insignificant impact to packaging material performance for modified atmosphere packaging. Results related to effect of packaging films OTR on packaged anaerobic bacterial spores showed increased germination and outgrowth in films with lower OTR values.
Evaluation of abusive environmental conditions on PLA windows on paperboard doughnut boxes showed that the specific PLA samples were susceptible to shrinkage at temperatures above 50 C. Additionally, OTR and water vapor transmission rate (WVTR) of PLA films tended to increase with increasing exposure to abusive conditions. Film shrinkage altered visual appearance and reflective properties of the window. Additionally, shrinkage caused warping of the paperboard boxes and interfered with hinge action of box tops. Evaluation of nanosilver modified packaging materials is underway. Currently, methods for producing and analyzing nano particles have been developed. Work is ongoing to incorporate particles into common packaging plastics. Work related to germination of anaerobic bacterial spores in hermetically sealed packages, together with increased awareness of bioterrorism threats to the US food supply, led to the realization for the need for a rapid, accurate, inexpensive alternative to
the mouse bioassay for testing packaged foods for botulinum toxin. Current work is focused on developing living bioelectrical sensors using cultured neural networks. Preliminary data appear promising to date (Scarlatos et al. 2005). Incorporation of information technologies into packaging offers opportunities to improve food handling, track and trace capabilities and product safety. Work involving application of radio frequency identification (RFID) as well as RFID antenna design has shown that RFID offers potential benefits to packaged foods and food handling operations. Since RFID uses similar frequencies as industrial microwave applications, namely 915MHz (Welt and Emond, 2005). Therefore, foods containing water and/or metallic packaging have been shown to interfere with RFID signals. Computer modeling was shown to provide a means to optimize antenna design for particular food packages (Chau et al. 2005). Research related to application of RFID technology is ongoing in areas of
track and trace, worker productivity, personnel ingress/egress monitoring. Additionally, a novel wireless time temperature integration device prototype was developed for application to packaged foods.
Impacts
Irradiation/MAP Melon: Irradiation of MAP fresh cut fruits and vegetables may provide opportunities to increase product quality and safety. Outgrowth of anaerobic bacteria in hermetically sealed food packaging: This work suggests that hermetically sealed, minimally processed foods should be carefully monitored and controlled through distribution, sale and use. Incorporation of PLA into paperboard packaging: This work suggests that PLA films should be evaluated for performance under abusive distribution conditions. Impacts of changes to material properties such as OTR, WVTR and shrink should be understood for particular applications. Neural networks to detect botulinum toxin in packaged foods: The method under development may offer an alternative to the mouse bioassay for detecting botulinum toxin in foods. Since few laboratories continue to offer mouse bioassay services, this work could lead to accelerated research in many related areas including safety of packaged
foods, food processing methods, and screening foods to protect against bioterrorism. RFID: New applications such as GatorPackerT and GatorAttenderT are being may lead to new commercial applications. Development of a novel, digital time temperature integrator may help to improve product handling, quality and safety.
Publications
- Boynton BB, Welt BA, Sims C, Brecht J, Balaban MO, Marshall M. 2005a. Effects of low dose electron beam irradiation on respiration of fresh cut cantaloupe stored in modified atmosphere packages. HortTechnology. 15(4)802.
- Boynton BB, Welt BA, Sims C, Brecht J, Balaban MO, Marshall M. 2005b. Sensory effects of modified atmosphere packaging for irradiated fresh cut cantaloupe. J. Food Sci. In press.
- Chau TC, Welt BA, Eisenstadt WR. 2005. Analysis and characterization of transponder antennas for radio frequency identification (RFID) systems. Journal of Packaging Technology and Science. J. Packaging Technology and Science. In press.
- Gnanraj JG, Welt BA, Otwell WS, Kristinsson HG. 2005. Oxygen transmission rate of hermetically sealed fresh fish simulating packages affects time frame for outgrowth of anaerobic bacterial spores. J. Aquatic Food Products Technol. 14(4)51.
- Scarlatos A, Welt BA, Cooper B, DeMarse T, Archer D, Chau KV. 2005. Alternatives to the mouse bioassay for detection of Clostridium botulinum toxin in packaged foods - A concise review. J. Food Sci. 70(8)R121 R129.
- Welt BA, Emond JP. 2005. RFID Making it so with some help from the University of Florida. Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Cir 1465.
- Welt BA, Vargas LF, Abdellatief A. 2005. Performance evaluation of polylactic acid window on paperboard doughnut boxes subjected to extreme distribution conditions. Unpublished report.
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