Packaging has been produced that extends the shelf life of food by 15 days

The “Antimicrobial Nanofiber Membrane Production Project” was implemented as part of the work of the teams of the SUMAE Food Technology Department under the General Directorate of Agricultural Research and Policy of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry under the motto “Let us protect the natural”.

The packaging, designed with the aim of preserving the freshness of food at room temperature, was registered by the Turkish Patent and Trademark Office.

Project manager Dr. Esen Alp Erbay said packaging design is crucial to protecting natural foods.

Erbay stated that during their research, they found that certain materials combined with different particles create a high synergy in food preservation.

Erbay explained that they studied the reproductive processes of bacteria: “We found that we can suppress their reproduction by removing some substances from the environment. That's how the idea came about.” he said.

Erbay stated that special solutions were mixed for a long time and subjected to advanced technical processes at the laboratory stage, emphasizing that this resulted in innovative packaging in A4 format and with a transparent structure.

The goal is to shift packaging to industry

Erbay emphasized that they have managed to remove histamine from the food environment, which threatens food safety and can cause health problems in consumers.

Explaining that they have redesigned the materials with the capabilities of nanotechnology, being able to separate the target molecules that cause degradation from the environment, Erbay said:

“We slowed the ripening rate of climacteric fruits and vegetables such as tomatoes, kiwis and avocados, fruits that still secrete ethylene gas (growth hormone) after being picked from their branches, by capturing this gas and removing it from the environment. So we extended the shelf life. In this study, we were able to extend the shelf life of fruits and vegetables at room temperature by 15 days. For fish, we can also extend it to 3-4 days. Especially.” In fermented foods, such as fish sauce, the shelf life is even longer.” “We can extend its lifespan.”

Erbay emphasized that they intend to transfer the packaging manufactured and patented by SUMAE to the industry, adding that they are ready to carry out joint projects with relevant companies to share their knowledge and experiences.