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FORNY20-FORNY2020

KVAL: BacPress - active packing technology to increase food shelf life

Alternative title: BacPress - aktiv emballasjeteknologi for forlenget holdbarhet

Awarded: NOK 0.50 mill.

Project Number:

327106

Project Period:

2021 - 2021

Funding received from:

Location:

Subject Fields:

The BacPress technology solves a universal challenge in the food industry, by utilizing equipment they already have. By using a proprietary antimicrobials, together with pressure processing, optimal product quality will be maintained for fresh packaged foods. In addition, the shelf life of these products will increase quite significantly. This combination of maximum product quality and increased shelf life is not achievable with today?s food preservation methods. For many sensitive high value products, extended shelf life is a significant barrier due to contamination of Listeria during processing. Listeria pose a particular challenge as it grows under refrigeration temperatures, can survive mild heat treatment and high-pressure processing (HPP). It can also even recover after exposure to stress. Researchers at Nofima, the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) and the Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU) have solved this challenge, by developing a novel and patentable technology, which can be a small revolution for the food industry, by prolonging the shelf life of these products, increase their safety and ensure the highest possible quality of fresh packaged food to the end consumers. The BacPress technology can offer a novel active packaging technology for an industry with an annual revenue of US$ 500 billion. This project verified that the results obtained in a controlled laboratory setting can be replicated in a real life environment.

Preservative strategies, where food is exposed to several treatment approaches (e.g. sugar, salt, chemicals, low pH, heat, cooling, HPP, vacuum packaging), have been used for centuries for food safety and increasing shelf life. The hurdles used for the model system cold smoked salmon, namely salting, drying and smoke components, do not inactivate Listeria. More severe preservative strategies will destroy the inherent physical appearance, texture and/or taste of cold smoked salmon. We propose to seek a synergy between anti-listerial bacteriocins and processing by pressure, as a novel food preservation strategy that will address this challenge. The ambition of the project is to validate processing technology that moves cold smoked salmon and other ready-to-eat fish, meat, vegetables, and unpasteurized dairy products from the Moderate-to-high-risk listeriosis into the Safe category.

Funding scheme:

FORNY20-FORNY2020