The international NanoPack Consortium has been awarded €7.7 million (US$8.2 million) to develop and demonstrate a solution for extending food shelf life by using novel antimicrobial surfaces.

NanoPack, which is led by the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, is funded as part of HORIZON 2020, the EU framework Program for Research and Innovation.

Thanks to EU financing it can run a three-year project aimed at demonstrating, validating and testing food-packaging products with antimicrobial surfaces based upon natural materials. NanoPack will also look into scientific, technological, economic, safety and regulatory challenges to make sure consumers can eventually benefit from this novel packaging.

How does it work?

The active polymer films developed by NanoPack have broad-spectrum antimicrobial properties unmet by existing state-of-the-art materials, which include currently used nanomaterials such as silver particles, which have raised health concerns of toxicity and microbial resistance.

Applying the power of nanotechnology, the project will employ polymer composites based on natural Halloysite Nanotubes (HNTs) as reliable and safe carriers, capable of tailored release of bioactivepayloads. Due to their size, HNTs are unable to migrate from the food packaging into food. Maximizing safety, NHTs slowly release minute amounts of potent, volatile and broad-spectrum, natural and EU-approved essential oils into the packaging headspace.

The NanoPack food packaging will release bioactive compounds which are natural potent essential oils that exhibit both antimicrobial and anti-fungal properties.

“NanoPack will demonstrate a solution for extending food shelf life by using novel smart antimicrobial surfaces, applied in active food packaging products,” said Dr. Ester Segal, NanoPack’s coordinator and associate professor at the Technion. “NanoPack will enhance food safety for consumers by significant growth inhibition of foodborne microbes, which in turn will prevent foodborne illness outbreaks and early spoilage.”

The aim is for NanoPack - which is made up of 18 partner organizations including leading industrial and research institutes from Belgium, Austria, Norway, Spain, Israel, Ireland, Denmark, Portugal, France, Germany and the Netherlands - to help towards cutting the 1.3 billion tons of food that is wasted annually, causing significant harm to natural resources and huge economic loses. 

“We intend to present better performing, safer and smarter products that will position Europe as the leader in food nanotechnology and smart antimicrobial packaging while increasing competitiveness and growth,” Dr. Segal added.

NanoPack will be holding its opening conference at the facilities of Bio base Europe (BBEU) in Ghent, Belgium on January 24–26.