Antimicrobial film for food storage developed by UNN scientists
Lobachevsky University chemists have developed an antimicrobial biodegradable food-grade film that increases the shelf life of food by 2-2.5 times. The material provides protection against yeasts and microbes due to an antibacterial compound, a modified organic zinc salt.
"Compared to conventional food-grade polyethylene, our film extends the shelf life of food by 100-150%, and is a durable but biodegradable material. Due to the starch and sucrose in its composition, such film is broken down in the soil within 50-70 years," explained the author of the project, Natalia Shuklina, a postgraduate student of the UNN Faculty of Chemistry.
Currently, such films are used only in construction industry and medicine because silver that serves as an antimicrobial agent is expensive and cannot be introduced into polymers other than PVC. The product developed by Nizhny Novgorod scientists is the first antimicrobial packaging for the food industry. Due to simple synthesis and available ingredients, the material can be produced using standard equipment for polyethylene film production. The first commercial samples of the material are being produced by companies in Nizhny Novgorod and Dzerzhinsk.
"We have created pellets containing polyethylene and the zinc salt we developed. A special technology makes it possible to turn them into a packaging material at any polymer production facility. In addition, the active antibacterial substance itself is already available for commercial use, including applications as a water soluble food additive. Food products, especially meat, are irrigated with an aqueous solution containing the antibacterial agent. The safe storage period is determined by the concentration of the zinc compound," Natalia Shuklina added.
The product was patented by Lobachevsky University in 2024. A team of UNN graduates and researchers led by Natalia Shuklina continues to develop the project at the Skolkovo Innovation Centre. They are planning to design new compounds, including pharmacological substances, based on organic zinc salts.
