Effect of Storage Conditions on Stability of Laminated Antimicrobial Films

Open Access
- Author:
- Mencl, Heidi
- Area of Honors:
- Food Science
- Degree:
- Bachelor of Science
- Document Type:
- Thesis
- Thesis Supervisors:
- Catherine Nettles Cutter, Thesis Supervisor
Federico Miguel Harte, Thesis Honors Advisor - Keywords:
- Lauric arginate
laminated antimicrobial films
antimicrobial
E. coli
Listeria
food - Abstract:
- Foodborne pathogens, such as Listeria monocytogenes and pathogenic Escherichia coli, are a major concern to public health. Due to the rise in foods containing little to no preservatives, antimicrobial packaging has emerged as an innovative food packaging trend. Foodborne illnesses are often caused by the mishandling of foods at various temperatures, thereby promoting the growth of microorganisms. This project will evaluate the antimicrobial efficacy and film stability of laminated antimicrobial films (LAF) containing lauric arginate (LAE) at various storage temperatures (-20oC, 4oC, 25oC, 35oC, 55oC) and humidity (15%, 20%, 25%, 30%, 90%) across an 8-week storage period. With the incorporation of LAE into the experimental films, the growth of microorganisms can be inhibited. The antimicrobial activity of the LAF will be evaluated through plate overlay assays, using approximately 8 log¬10 CFU of L. innocua and non-pathogenic E. coli K-12. After conducting two trials, the greatest inhibition against L. innocua and E. coli K-12 was observed during the first four weeks, specifically at lower storage temperatures (-20oC, 4oC, 25oC), although inhibition varied throughout the course of the 8 weeks under most storage conditions. The study data demonstrated that lauric arginate exhibits inhibition against Listeria spp. and E. coli when stored at temperatures ranging between –20oC and 55oC and humidities between 15% and 90%, especially in the first four weeks of storage, although additional replicates should be conducted to verify these results. The results from this project will be useful to the food and packaging industries that are interested in the commercialization of the LAF.