Novel food packaging systems with antimicrobial agents from microbial source

Abstract

Antimicrobial packaging systems are used to control microbial growth in food products. Several antimicrobial packaging technologies have been developed employing different substances. This chapter focuses on those that use antimicrobial substances produced by microorganisms as active agents (bacteriocins, lipopeptides, and other metabolites). The most important antimicrobial compounds used in food packaging and the techniques employed to evaluate their antimicrobial action are described. Also, the forms in which the packaging materials contain and deliver these antimicrobial compounds are presented. An extensive list of scientific publications on the subject is detailed and their results are discussed. Current trends suggest a greater market emphasis on food quality requirements and safety features, associated with the addition of antimicrobial agents. This constitutes a challenge for the development and implementation of this type of packaging system, which requires the joint work of academia and industry.