
via Fine Dining Lovers
With antibiotic resistance on the rise, bacterial contamination of food is becoming more problematic.
Now in a study appearing in ACS Biomaterials Science & Engineering, scientists report that they have developed an antibacterial “sugar-glass” coating in which viruses that destroy bacteria are embedded and are kept stable for up to three months. The coating could someday be used in the food packaging and processing industries to help prevent food-borne illnesses and deaths.
Bacteriophages, also known as “phages,” are viruses that infect and kill bacteria. Unlike antibiotics, which act like sledgehammers, wiping out all bacteria, phages specifically target single strains of these germs, leaving beneficial microbes unharmed. For example, phages are useful for selectively decontaminating cheese — a food that relies heavily on the presence of beneficial bacteria for its flavor. Because phages are naturally found on fruits and vegetables and do not affect the odor, taste, safety or appearance of foods, scientists are investigating whether these “bacteria-eaters” could have an expanded role in promoting food safety. But incorporating phages into food packaging has been challenging. Drying them out so they can be added to various types of films can kill the viruses. Other methods for stabilizing phages are also problematic, requiring special handling or equipment. So, Carlos D.M. Filipe, M. Monsur Ali and colleagues sought to find a simple way to stabilize and extend the shelf life of these viruses embedded in coatings used on food.
The researchers embedded phages into soluble “sugar glasses” or films made with pullulan, a polysaccharide used to prolong the shelf life of fruits and eggs; trehalose, a sugar used as stabilizing agent in freeze drying; or a combination of two substances. Then, they drop-cast or coated the mixtures onto butcher paper and allowed them to air dry overnight at room temperature. Phages embedded in pullulan or trehalose alone lost their antibacterial effects within one or two weeks. But those embedded within the combined pullulan-trehalose mixture could still infect bacteria such as Lysteria monocytogenes up to three months later. They conclude that the pullulan-trehalose combination had a synergistic effect on bacteriophage stability and is a promising, simple method for protecting food from bacterial contamination.
Learn more: New “sugar-glass” film uses viruses to kill harmful bacteria in food
The Latest on: Sugar-glass film
[google_news title=”” keyword=”sugar-glass film” num_posts=”10″ blurb_length=”0″ show_thumb=”left”]
- Sugar mills to undergo testingon February 7, 2023 at 3:57 pm
Following this, the sugar mills will be tested with a cane when or as soon as the crushing season will begin. FSC says at the moment mill engineers and workers are busy looking at every corner of the ...
- As ‘Casanova’ Score Gets Re-Release, Alexandre Desplat Discusses Nino Rota’s ‘Crazy’ Score for the Fellini Film (EXCLUSIVE)on February 3, 2023 at 7:06 am
Nino Rota’s soundtrack for Federico Fellini’s 1976 film “Il Casanova,” which is getting a re-release via Italian record label CAM Sugar, has been a favorite of Alexandre Desplat’s ever since ...
- Best Sugar Daddy Websites For Sugar Daddies and Sugar Babies To Meet (2023)on January 31, 2023 at 5:00 pm
The name says it all. SugarDaddy.com is one of the original and premier sugar daddy sites. It verifies all members, daddies and babies alike. There are nearly 10 million current members and ...
- Sweet as Sugar: How Sugar Studios Founder Jijo Reed Went from Punk to the Penthouseon January 31, 2023 at 9:10 am
We have like five drummers here at Sugar,” says Jijo Reed, founder and CEO of Sugar Studios, talking about employees at his one-stop post-production house. It occupies three floors of L.A.’s Art Deco ...
- Labeling Wines As ‘Zero Sugar’ or ‘Low Calorie’ Might Just Be Marketing Claims—Here’s What To Knowon January 26, 2023 at 4:01 pm
Wellness has come for wine, and along with it, a slew of misleading marketing claims. Now, as January fades into the rearview mirror and brands are banking on people’s desire to keep the health ...
- Normal Blood Sugar Levels By Ageon January 25, 2023 at 1:48 am
Blood sugar levels are a key indicator of overall health—and it’s important to know the ideal range for your age group. While appropriate targets vary between individuals based on age ...
- Cane Sugar: Are There Health Benefits?on January 16, 2023 at 4:00 pm
Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs. White granulated sugar can be made either from sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum) or sugar beets. Cane sugar is the type ...
- What Is The No-Sugar Diet—And Is It Healthy To Follow?on January 15, 2023 at 4:58 am
When you're thinking of overhauling your lifestyle for the better, nixing sugar is probably one of the first changes you think of. After all, over the past few years, sugar has been linked to a ...
- Where Was Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery Filmed?on January 13, 2023 at 1:37 am
Such scale." While Miles's glass sculptures rising out of the sea may have been added in with special effects, the film's scenic landscapes and balmy, sand-washed beaches were 100 percent real.
- You Can Stay at the Exclusive Resort Where "Glass Onion" Was Filmedon January 12, 2023 at 6:43 pm
Such scale." While Miles's glass sculptures rising out of the sea may have been added in with special effects, the film's scenic landscapes and balmy, sand-washed beaches were 100 percent real.
via Google News and Bing News