SBIR Phase II: Edible, water soluble corn zein films for shelf life extension and improved safety of perishable foods

这项小企业创新研究（SBIR）第二阶段项目的更广泛影响在于减少食物浪费和改善营养。每年，超过30%的新鲜农产品被浪费。据估计，全球这些被浪费的农产品价值超过600亿美元。该项目的主要目标是通过一种可食用涂层来延长易腐食品的保质期，该涂层可以调节蒸腾速率以减缓水分流失和呼吸速率以延迟成熟。该项目旨在使农产品种植者和分销商能够保持水果和蔬菜的新鲜度和质量。消费者可以通过获得更新鲜、更美味、更有吸引力的农产品而受益。这项技术还可以促进更健康的食物选择，特别是在目前服务不足的食物沙漠地区。包装商将受益于能够提供高质量的产品，这些产品将持续更长时间，并且能够更好地承受各种运输方式的严酷考验。延长的保质期也扩大了美国出口产品在全球市场的市场范围。该项目的核心创新是创造稳定的玉米蛋白胶体，只使用可食用的植物性成分，不易燃，无腐蚀性，并符合大多数全球食品法规。这些胶体最初将被开发为新鲜的整体或最低限度加工的食品、块根作物、蔬菜、坚果和种子的涂层。涂层不会阻碍营养、风味和其他功能性成分的传递，这些成分使食品具有吸引力，提高其质量，并鼓励消费。该技术还将减少食品变质，提高食品安全。实验工作将集中在进一步提高玉米蛋白分散体的稳定性，并展示调节膜特性（水蒸气、氧气和二氧化碳渗透）以响应广泛作物生理的能力。这项技术也将在不同的包装工厂进行试验，以评估其与现有操作的适应性。这项研究还将使相关应用成为可能，例如食品包装上的可堆肥涂料以及制药和营养保健涂料。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader impact of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is in the reduction of food waste and improved nutrition. Each year, more than 30% of fresh produce is wasted. The value of this wasted produce is estimated at more than $60 billion globally. This project’s main goal is to extend the shelf life of perishable foods with an edible coating that regulates the rate of both transpiration to slow moisture loss and respiration to delay ripening. The project aims to enable produce growers and distributors to preserve the freshness and quality of fruits and vegetables. Consumers could benefit by having access to fresher, tastier, and more appealing produce. This technology may also promote healthier food choices, especially in currently underserved food deserts. Packers would benefit by being able to offer a high-quality product that will last longer and that can better withstand the rigors of various types of transport. Extended shelf life also extends the market reach of U.S. exports in global markets.The core innovation underlying this project is the creation of stable Zein colloids that employ only edible, plant-based ingredients, are non-flammable, non-corrosive, and meet most global food regulations. These colloids will be initially developed as coatings for fresh whole or minimally processed foods, root crops, vegetables, nuts, and seeds. The coating will not impede the delivery of nutrients, flavors, and other functional ingredients that make foods appealing, improve their quality, and encourage consumption. The technology will also reduce food spoilage and improving food safety. Experimental work will be focused on further improving the stability of Zein dispersions and demonstrating the ability to adjust the film properties (water vapor, oxygen, and carbon dioxide permeances) to respond to the physiology of a broad range of crops. This technology will also be piloted at various packing plants to evaluate its operational fitness with existing operations. This research will also enable related applications, such as for compostable coatings on food packaging and pharmaceutical and nutraceutical coatings.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.