Natural Antimicrobial Food Packaging Being Developed

 

 

Mustard and canola growers may soon have another market for their crops.

 

Saskatchewan’s Biofume Technologies Inc. is working on biodegradable antimicrobial food packaging that includes canola and mustard compounds. As Jay Robinson, President and CEO of Biofume, explains, “Our technology uses natural antimicrobial compounds extracted from a variety of plants including but not limited to mustard and canola, to increase food safety and improve product shelf life.”

 

Mustard has always been known for its flavour. The same elements that give it its properties of smell and taste can, in specific doses, be used as antimicrobial and antibacterial agents. “Biofume utilizes unique properties from mustard and other plants to produce a packaging that controls the bacteria of concern to human health and extends the shelf life of perishable food products,” said Robinson.

 

Many agri-businesses have long known that crops grown on the prairies have potential uses beyond food. Developing new products or finding solutions to new and ongoing issues in order to help the agricultural sector adapt and remain competitive is the objective of the Canadian Agricultural Adaptation Program (CAAP), an Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada funded program delivered in Saskatchewan by the Agriculture Council of Saskatchewan. ACS, as well as industry councils from Ontario, Manitoba, Alberta and British Columbia, provided funding for Biofume's project through the CAAP program.

 

Biofume is working with scientists and researchers at the University of Alberta, the University of Guelph and through private companies in Saskatoon in the areas of nanotechnology, smart packaging, microbiology and extraction. Other Biofume projects have been developing plant-based packaging, and now by infusing the natural antimicrobials and preservatives from Mustard and Canola, they are able to create a food package that prevents spoilage and eliminates micro-organisms that may have been on the food when it was packaged.

 

“That was one of the rationales for the project,” says Robinson, “dealing with the issues of E. coli contaminated spinach, recalled fresh fruits due to possible salmonella contamination, or meats carrying listeria.” Food manufacturers most often use synthetic products to ensure food safety and extend quality, but as Robinson explains, the Biofume packaging gives them a natural alternative. “The other aim was to provide a solution to extending the shelf life of perishable food products, benefiting the manufacturer, retailer and the consumer.”

 

 

Click here to for a French version of this article.

 

 

 

 

January 2012 ACS Newsletter