Bacteria-Free Packaging Lands A Haymaker Against Food-Borne Illnesses

A breakthrough in anti-biofilm research could provide a solution to bacterial build-up on produce and food packaging surfaces, lowering the amount of bacterial illnesses, extending shelf-life, and reducing post-harvest waste

Michael Brandwein, a graduate student at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem has discovered a way to attack bacterial biofilm, a potentially harmful bacteria that sticks to produce and packaging during the shipping process. Countless microorganisms, including illness-causing bacteria, attach to the surfaces of food and packaging, creating biofilms. Since bacterial biofilms are an ever-increasing problem in the food industry, this discovery could have great commercial potential. The U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently reported that food-borne diseases are responsible for an estimated 48 million illnesses each year in the U.S., 45 percent of which are caused by bacteria.

In industrialized countries, the issue of biofilm build-up is increasingly significant due to the amplified demand for fresh produce and awareness of the health benefits associated with fruits and vegetables. The problem is further compounded by the fact that many of these products are consumed raw.

The recent discovery that bacteria communicate to one another through a process called quorum sensing has lent itself to Brandwein’s research. He found that bacterial communication is one of the factors that regulate the formation of biofilm. When certain molecules detect a sufficiently high cell density, they activate genetic process that lead to bacterial adhesion. By controlling the production or integration of these molecules, the bacteria can be prevented from coordinating to create a biofilm. At the Biofilm Research Laboratory, Brandwein introduced TZD, a synthesized molecule, into anti-biofilm food packaging. The findings revealed that TZD successfully prevented fungi and bacteria from forming biofilms.

The research primarily focuses on corrugated cardboard boxes, and the technology has been incorporated into industry-specific acrylic polymers, which coat the corrugated cardboard used to pack fresh produce. Brandwein explains, “We have shown that these ‘quorum quenching polymers’ dramatically reduce the biofilm load on corrugated cardboard, leading to a healthier and more efficient method of transporting today’s food.” With regard to marketing the technology, Brandwein says, “While millions of dollars have been spent globally to develop antimicrobial polymers, no one has succeeded in developing and marketing anti-quorum sensing/anti-biofilm polymers. We therefore predict that our product will enjoy exclusivity for many years to come. We envision our technology being applied to frozen food packaging, poultry and meat packaging, and other areas within the food packaging industry.”

Researchers estimate that revenue from the technology could reach many millions of dollars. Preventing food contamination not only addresses health concerns, it also has great economic implications by increasing the shelf life of products. Since bacterial biofilms are also a source of post-harvest crop loss around the world, business from growers may also prove to be a significant source of income.