Fresh produce: Cross-contamination of corrugated/plastic packs

Researchers at the University of Bologna in Italy studied the interaction of corrugated and plastic materials with pathogenic and spoiling microorganisms frequently associated with fresh produce. The results obtained showed that cardboard materials, if correctly stored, reduced the potential of packaging to cross-contaminate food due to a faster viability loss by spoilage and pathogenic microorganisms compared to the plastic ones.
The SEM microphotographs indicate that the reduction of superficial contamination on cardboard was due to the entrapping of the microbial cells within the fibers and the pores of this material. An article about the research is published in Frontiers in Microbiology.
Click here to download the published article (8.06 MB).
Click here for more information about the Live Online NVC E-Course Food Packaging.
Click here for more information about the 1st international conference - Fighting food waste together: how to open the potential of better packaging (22 March during the trade fair Anuga FoodTec 2018 in Cologne, Germany).

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