A study published in the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture has found that scientists are developing antimicrobials that are developed from natural ingredients. These compounds will not damage the environment or create an imbalance in the bacterial population.
The food scientists used whey protein isolates and oregano and clove natural oils to develop the antimicrobial products. The ingredients are used as an edible film on the products. This whey protein isolate “showed high effectiveness against the main spoilers developed on the surface of skinless chicken breasts cold-stored along eight days,” according to the study’s authors.
Films made with oil of clove and oil or oregano are both highly effective against microbes. The films that were made from oregano essential oils were more effective than the clove oils, but the clove oils were also very effective. These edible films and coatings are a good addition to the standard methods of antimicrobial compounds, which include the use of preservatives and new packaging systems. Since consumers prefer all-natural products, the films may be an answer to a pressing problem. This study was conducted under “real conditions”, not lab conditions with pure pathogen strains, so it is more applicable to consumer food storage conditions.
