Report Highlights:
In previous reports, the PreScouter team focused on extending food and beverage shelf life by making changes to the packaging or including novel additives within the food substance. Another distinct avenue of focus is by treating the food (primarily on its surface) to help prevent decay mechanisms from occurring.
- A number of factors have been considered for each technology:
- Most of the treatments mentioned strive to remove or neutralize microbes on/within food prior to being packaged. With far fewer active microbes packaged with the food prior to being sold, researchers have seen a significant reduction in spoilage mechanisms and an overall improvement in shelf life stability.
- Some of the techniques outlined will be fairly easy to commercialize whereas other techniques are typically done in smaller batches and would require fairly high development costs to scale up.
- Functionality or modification of the food product is perhaps the most significant concern: if the food is changed by the treatment process beyond just extension of its shelf life, the product is no longer as viable.
The 7 food treatment methods covered are presented below:
