Nanotechnology forms part of EU project

An EU project is to run pilot lines in operational industrial environments to manufacture antimicrobial polymer films.

NanoPack, starting in January 2017 and running until the end of 2019, will be co-ordinated by Technion – the Israel Institute of Technology.

Partners include Constantia Flexibles, Dawn Meats Group, Arla Foods, Vertech Group Stichting Effost and a Fraunhofer unit.

The project will use natural Halloysite Nanotubes (HNTs) as carriers of bio-active compounds which do not migrate from the packaging into food.

Processes will be validated through five pilot runs on existing production lines: 1) loading antimicrobials, 2) anti-microbial HNT polymer production, 3) anti-microbial packaging film production and 4-5) using the novel packaging on food products.

Commercial feasibility will be assessed, including consumer acceptance and legal, regulatory, safety and environmental aspects.

NanoPack will result in nanotechnology-based antimicrobial packaging that will enhance food safety, prevent foodborne illness outbreaks and reduce food waste caused by early spoilage.

As part of a previous project, also called NanoPack, Technion developed multifunctional nanomaterials and devices for use in intelligent forms of food packaging.

The materials were based on electrochemically-prepared nanostructured inorganic porous scaffolds, composed of silicon (Si) and silicon oxide (SiO2) and hybrids with various polymers/hydrogels.