![Source: Texas A&M Engineering Coating engineering for disease-free agricultural products](https://scx1.b-cdn.net/csz/news/800a/2024/engineering-a-coating.jpg)
Credit: Texas A&M Engineering
Dr. Mustafa Akbulut, professor of chemical engineering, collaborated with Luis Cisneros-Zevallos, professor of horticultural science, to design longer-lasting, bacteria-free produce.
According to a recent publication by Akbulut: Latest research in food scienceThe global fruit and vegetable market loses more than 50% of agricultural fruit production at various stages of agricultural product handling and post-harvest processing.
Many fruits and vegetables already have a layer of food-grade wax applied for cosmetic purposes and to prevent moisture loss. Akbulut's research combined these waxes with nano-encapsulated cinnamon bark essential oil in protein carriers to enhance their antibacterial properties.
“We live in a time of tremendous technological advancement,” Akbulut said. “But the food industry has not competed with these developments, and there are ongoing problems with food safety. News often appears at the national level about foodborne illnesses and outbreaks in which hundreds of people are sickened by unsanitary food.”
Akbulut's wax coating technology enhances the safety of fresh produce and provides increased protection against bacteria and mold. According to the article, this composite coating provides both immediate and delayed antibacterial effects.
Foodborne pathogens are particularly problematic in fruits and vegetables that are consumed raw or minimally processed due to the lack of high temperatures to inactivate them.
The development of this coating allows for a better understanding of the interactions between wax and unwanted microorganisms, Cisneros-Zevallos said.
“I think the impact these wax coatings will have on the industry is very significant as the industry looks for new technologies,” Cisneros-Zevallos said. “This is one of the tools we are developing that can really help the industry face these challenges against human pathogens and spoilage organisms.”
Nanoencapsulating essential oils makes it more difficult for bacteria to attach and survive on fruits or vegetables. According to the article, the delayed release of essential oils increases the half-life of the active ingredients and produce compared to unencapsulated oils.
“When bacteria are exposed to essential oils, their walls can break down,” Akbulut said. “This technology will help extend shelf life by essentially inactivating bacteria and mold.”
PhD student Yashwanth Arcot conducted experiments to support the research.
“This coating also inhibited mold adhesion,” Arcot said. “We tested this system against Aspergillus, a fungus responsible for food spoilage and the development of lung infections in humans. We succeeded in preventing the growth of this fungus in the hybrid coating.”
Arcot said this is the first development of a hybrid technology that uses essential oils nanoencapsulated in food wax to kill bacteria and mold. The chemicals used to produce this hybrid wax are FDA approved and antibacterial.
“These hybrid wax coatings are easily scalable and can be implemented in the food processing industry,” Arcot said.
Additional contributors to the study include Dr. Matthew Taylor of the Department of Food Science, Dr. Yunjin Min of the University of California, Riverside, and Dr. Alejandro Castillo of the Food Science Department.
Additional information:
Yashwanth Arcot et al., Edible nanoencapsulated cinnamon essential oil hybrid wax coating to enhance apple safety against foodborne pathogens; Latest research in food science (2024). DOI: 10.1016/j.crfs.2023.100667
Provided by Texas A&M University College of Engineering
Summons: Coating Engineering for Disease-Free Agricultural Products (2024, February 13) Retrieved February 14, 2024, from https://phys.org/news/2024-02-coating-disease-free.html
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