Chile: Nanotechnology to conserve food
A new nanotechnology presented yesterday in Chile allows to extend the useful life of export foods up to an 30% through the elaboration of containers with components of native leaves and fruits.
«What we do is incorporate active nanocomposite containers of traditional products such as maqui, murtilla and calafate, which generate a positive and beneficial effect for the content«explained scientist María José Galotto, who led the research.
The antimicrobial, antioxidant and absorbent properties of ethylene are some of the benefits that innovative packaging can incorporate through Chilean nanotechnology.
According to a report by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), each year one third of human food is wasted because of its degradation by collection, storage, packaging or transport.
Therefore, according to the scientist, «There is a need to respond to the demand of consumers who prefer less processed and well-packaged foods«.
The costs of generating this type of packaging are between 3 and 5% higher than current ones, but the increase in cost «it is absorbed by the decrease of the losses of products that degrade«Galotto explained.
This type of technology has already been applied in countries such as Spain, but the advantage of Chilean innovation is the amount of beneficial properties of its native products that can be applied to the packaging and the strategy used.
So far, this nanotechnology was applied in the packaging of grapes, kiwi, avocado, vegetables and salmon, and soon in bread and cheese.
«In the case of salmon we have delayed the bacteriological process and we have extended its useful life up to an 25%. For example, instead of lasting 15 days, now 20 will do it and, therefore, increases the radius of action of selling the product«, assured Galotto.
«We have also worked with clay nanocomposite, which delays the degradation of food, and we have extracted the antimicrobial properties of copper, which is much more effective than nano silver technology, that is, extracted from silver"He added.
This type of packaging also takes care of the environment by using biodegradable polymers.
Brazil has positioned itself in the last fifteen years as one of the most advanced countries in the development of nanotechnology.
Source: Emol.com
Previous article
USA US: Good volumes of blueberriesARTÍCULOS RELACIONADOS
