instore - February 2016 - (Page CI12)

Packaging: Future Solutions By Bob Sims provide food manufacturers a way to increase shelf life on products without the risk of pathogens. oday's consumer possesses a legitimate concern about foodborne illnesses stemming from fresh, packaged food. Recent outbreaks from popular restaurants and food manufacturers give the common fresh food customer cause for concern pertaining to their health and the health of their loved ones. Government programs such as HACCP and FSMA point to the fact that food safety represents a substantial concern in the industry. T How It Works Antimicrobials are either placed directly into food and then packaged, or they are integrated into the packaging itself and released over a period of time to maintain quality, safety and extend shelf life, according to Dr. Bhanu Malhotra and Dr. Anu Keshwani, both from the Amity Institute of Biotechnology, and Dr. Harsha Kharkwal from the Amity Institute of Phytomedicine and Phytochemistry. Antimicrobial packaging technology might prove to ensure the eradication of pathogens in packaged food products as they begin to grow. If successful, antimicrobial technology will not only give consumers peace of mind and healthier fresh food products, but also The first step in successful antimicrobial packaging involves the discernment of which antimicrobials to use relative to the pathogens that the packaging will need to address. Scientists will be in charge of figuring this out and have a good grasp at present on which agents to use on which pathogens. However, the current concern consists of recreating what works in a lab to real life scenarios. Laboratory vs. Real Life Malhotra, Keshwani and Kharkwal state that many of the laboratory tests are performed with food simulants and that real foods contain more salts and less water activity, nutrients, fats and proteins which are found to interact with the antimicrobials. In addition, the conditions of food products during transportaUndeclared tion show a considerable allergens effect on characteristics. Also, moisture content and temperature variations have shown a great effect on the release rates of compounds and their Foodborne effectiveness. Chemicals and Bacteria Worry Consumers Most Pesticide residues Animal antibiotics None of the above 11% Chemicals in food 9% 7% 3% 36% NOTE: UNITED STATES; MARCH 13 - MARCH 26, 2015; 18-80 YEARS; 1,005 RECIPIENTS SOURCE: IFIC 12 * FEBRUARY 2016 * 34% Share of respondents commissary INSIDER illness from bacteria The release rate determines how much antimicrobial agent emerges from the packaging and how long it takes to cover the entire intended area. In laboratory environments, antimicrobial

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of instore - February 2016

instore - February 2016
Editor's Note - Prepared Foods
Table of Contents
News - On Our Radar
Product Spotlight - Cakes
Product Knowledge - Belly up to the bar
Merchandising - Breakfast to go
Commissary Insider - Insight Insider
Food Safety - Foolproof Your HACCP Plan
Equipment - Either Way You Slice It
Product Category Spotlight - Score with Salads
Packaging - Future Solutions
Operations and Logistics - Communication and Service
Retail Foodservice - Winning the foodservice dollar
Specialty Insights - Healthy Italian meats
Equipment & Packaging - Fresh and warm
Product Trends - First to market
Product Showcase
Ad Index

instore - February 2016