There are different viruses, bacteria and fungi in the environment that can survive on different surfaces. These agents affect human health and that is why safe packaging was developed in the food industry, s antimicrobial coatings.
Sincerely, Paul Pain, Head of Water Based Technology de Siegwerk Francehe explained that in the packaging industry, various packaging coating technologies have been developed that enable the destruction of these pathogens, which guarantees food safety.
During his participation in webinar “Antimicrobial coatings in food packaging: disinfection effect on the printed surface of the container”the expert explained that these packaging technologies are used in the food industry and are suitable for specific conditions such as temperature, humidity, ultraviolet radiation, to name a few.
However, Pain, who is also the chemist responsible for water-based product development in the Paper & Board and Liquid Food Packaging business units, said these technologies cannot be applied to any material, such as paper and cardboard, as they may not perform their function of permanently removing pathogens.
Technologies of antimicrobial coatings
The Lock 3 technology Recently applied in the packaging industry, it helps reduce the risk of infection transmission. This technology is harmless to packaged food, as its goal is to preserve the quality of packaged food and extend its shelf life.
In the meantime, antimicrobial active packaging It is one of the most researched lines of action, and its goal is to prevent or slow down the development of microorganisms in order to extend the shelf life and guarantee food safety.
The goal is to contribute to increasing the useful life, the choice antimicrobial active substances. One of the active substances that can be used with good results is ethyl lauroyl arginate (LAE).
LAE is a molecule that has a wide range of antimicrobial properties. It has chemical stability at pH between 3 and 7 and is soluble in water, which allows it to be incorporated into a formulated aqueous base intended for application as a coating on packaging films.
Once it enters the human body, LAE can be hydrolyzed by normal metabolic pathways, which gives it great safety, as organizations in the United States or the European Union have approved food contact.
It should be noted that the trend of adopting these food packaging with antimicrobial coatings has increased with the Covid-19 pandemic as there has been an increase in demand for germ-free products.
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