A biodegradable food packaging solution that also promises to increase food shelf life

Whilst developing biodegradable food packaging from upcycled cheese whey and almond shells, the EU-funded project YPACK has discovered that integrating zinc oxide and oregano essential oil helps biopapers protect against bacterial contamination in food packaging. This promises to increase the shelf life of fresh products such as meat, fruit, vegetables and fresh pasta.

Zinc oxide and oregano essential oil are compounds that have good antimicrobial activity against two prominent bacteria renowned for causing food poisoning – Staphylococcus and Escherichia coli.

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