Plastics Packaging Materials with Antifungal/microbial Properties

Plastic packaging materials are needed in many food products to prevent spoilage and to extend shelf-life. This project focuses on developing plastic packaging materials that will not permit bacteria and fungi to grow on the surface of the plastic in contact with the food , bread in this particular case. Besides the obvious performance requirement of incorporating a barrier against fungal/bacterial growth, the packaging solution must also satisfy the following criteria: i) it must not affect the taste, texture of the bread, ii) the additive must be "natural" and not contain preservatives such as calcium propionate which compromises the healthy connotation of the particular product line of bread, iii) the optical and mechanical properties of the packaging fi lm must not be compromised, iv) the solution must be industrially amenable to existing plastic processing techniques and v) not have any negative environmental impact upon disposal.

Faculty Supervisor:

Dr. Milan Maric

Student:

Alexandre Maupu

Partner:

Imaflex

Discipline:

Engineering - chemical / biological

Sector:

Consumer goods

University:

McGill University