Natural additives in active antimicrobial packaging for fish preservation

Abstract

Many active packaging techniques have been developed to extend the storage life of fish, by incorporating antimicrobial agents, having potential to inhibit/delay the growth of pathogenic and spoilage microorganisms, into the packaging films. The natural ingredients added as antimicrobial agents into the packaging films can also satisfy the consumer’s expectation for healthier and safer food without synthetic preservatives. Many antimicrobial packages developed so far have proven its efficiency to control microbial growth and enhance the shelf-life of various food items including fish. Nevertheless, there are no many commercialized products seen in the market probably due to the stringent sanitation and safety policies, unavailability of regulations regarding the use of natural additives, inadequate information about the usefulness of antimicrobial additives in packages, consumer’s doubt on product effectiveness and high expenditure compared to conventional packages. Since various antimicrobial agents have different antimicrobial mechanisms, a combination of antimicrobial agents can be tried for incorporating into packages for making it more efficient due to synergistic activity. Hence, if designed and optimized well for each specific product, this technology shows promise to be readily adopted by the food industry.