Safe Biodegradable Packaging (SafeBioPack)

This project will underpin an UK-Malaysian "Research and Innovation" bridge to accelerate the deployment of knowledge and the exploitation of research that will a) improve the preservation of food during transport/ storage between the producer and the consumer (in urban settings), b) reduce urban solid waste from plastics going to landfill, and c) improve health and well being of the population by reducing risk of communicable diseases transmitted by foodborne pathogens in meat or vegetables. To achieve these objectives, the project will develop innovative sustainable packaging with improved shelf-life performance. The packaging system will be based on the use of cost-competitive, presently un-used agri-waste and the use of a new concept of active packaging; a packaging that will reduce/eliminate pathogen microbial growth, increasing shelf-life of packaged food (meat and vegetables). This will reduce food loss across the supply chain. The packaging system will be designed with agri-waste (palm empty fruit bunch), setting-up a platform for other subsequent broader uses, and will contribute to minimising waste-to-landfill problems.
The approach will develop a tool to reduce problems of food poisoning, as food poisoning. Consumption of meat/vegetables/ready meals spoiled with pathogen micro-organisms is considered to be the most common source of food poisoning both in the UK and in Malaysia, reflecting a more general case both in Europe and Asia. The bioactive molecules will be produced using herbs, sourced from the UK/ or from Malaysia.
This proposal focuses on the issue from both the UK and Malaysian perspective and practices within the industry that will also have wider international relevance and impact.

Campylobacter jejuni is a major causes of food-borne bacterial gastroenteritis in the European Union and across the globe (Bronzwaer et al. 2009). Recently released figures from the Food Standard Agency suggest that 70% of retail chickens tested positive for the presence of Campylobacter. The bacterium is the most common source bacterial gastro-intestinal disease in the UK, with a reported 70,298 cases in the UK in 2010 (Defra, 2011). Food poisoning represents a major challenge to the Malaysian and UK food industry. In the UK around 1 million people per year suffering foodborne illness at a cost to the UK economy of over £1.5 bn per annum, of which the financial burden of Campylobacter was estimated to be £583 million. . Press coverage following the recent FSA report on Campylobacter shows the retail trade and consumer are highly sensitised to such scares.
An infection with Campylobacter is usually self-limiting, but the economic costs of campylobacteriosis are substantial, and complications such as Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) can be life-threatening. One of the main sources for this zoonotic disease is consumption or handling of contaminated poultry meat. It is also estimated that 86 million chickens are thrown away per year in the UK because of concerns over shelf life then assuming a retail value of £3/head and a 25% reduction in waste this suggests a £65m saving whilst also decreasing the 5.6 m tonnes of CO2 equivalents released from avoidable food waste contributing to the success of the Landfill Directive in Europe.
Several approaches have been used to reduce Campylobacter in poultry, such as prebiotic/probiotic feeding, disinfectant baths and high barrier packaging. Recent antibacterial approaches have included methods using silver ion technologies this do not meet EU regulations. All these approaches have varying degrees of success and to date there is no reliable and practical measures that effectively reduce Campylobacter growth.
Preliminary research at The BioComposites Centre showed that chitosan derivatives developed in TSB Project No: TP/14/SMP/6/I/BA143E had antibacterial performance against Campylobacter. This feasibility study will combine this approach with novel PLA adhesives to assist surface application that were developed in TSB Project 34074-240249 SUStainable PLA Adhesives Emulsified for Flexible Packaging FORMulations (SUSPLAFORM). The use of carnosic acid is underpinned by research under a DEFRA LINK Project No. LK0823-UK Cultivation of Rosemary to Provide the Raw Materials for Development of a New Genre of Bio-based Antioxidants. In this project the BioComposites Centre developed a rapid and reliable HPLC method for an accurate measurement of antioxidant content in rosemary and developed methods for the modification of carnosic acid to enhance antioxidant performance in a range of applications.
Combining the research of UPM in Malaysia will enable both research centres to maximise their impact through the development of new smart packaging materials utilising natural fibres and bioplastics in combination with natural antibacterial compounds. This research will have an immediate impact on the food supply chain with Malaysia assisting the companies to develop new export markets for their products, creating wealth and employment within Malaysia. The development of smart packaging will also assist Malaysia in meeting the future demands for safe affordable food for a growing Urban population.