Antibacterial food packaging by Schur Flexibles puts consumer minds “at rest”

04 Apr 2022 --- Schur Flexibles has developed food-grade antibacterial coated films for packaging. The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the demand for hygienic packaging and Schur Flexibles responded with a coating that reduces the bacteria present on packaging by 95% – applicable to a wide variety of packaging.

The company says the varnish has been tested and confirmed safe for food packaging, including meat, dairy and fish, as well as cosmetics and more.

Joanna Herbst, commercial product manager Converting at Schur Flexibles tells PackagingInsights: “Since the successful introduction of this solution, many of our customers are considering implementing it.”

“Our customer DUDA, a well-established producer of meats and sausages, has successfully implemented it to prove its commitment to responsibility during the pandemic,” she adds.

Antibacterial coating
Schur Flexibles says according to the Antibacterial Activity Analysis Result, the coating reduces the bacteria present on packaging by 95%.

“The coating is confirmed food safe and it is suitable for all kinds of food or non-food applications,” says Herbst.

“The coating is confirmed food safe and it is suitable for all kinds of food or non-food applications,” says Herbst.In Poland, Duda has been using the material to demonstrate the company’s commitment to responsibility during the pandemic and to reassure consumers that handling their products is “completely” safe.

At the point of sales, packets are often touched, picked up and put back. The antibacterial coating helps prevent the transfer of bacteria and puts consumer minds at rest.

No production line changes
For manufacturers, no changes to their production lines are necessary, says the company.

Schur Flexibles also asserts that films coated with this varnish run as smoothly as uncoated films on all machines. In addition, it integrates perfectly into the printing process, ensuring that print quality remains at the same high level as all Schur Flexibles printing jobs.

Recently, researchers at RMIT University in Australia created antibacterial material for plastic packaging by mimicking the structure of insect wings. The team says their findings could lead to important strategies for fighting bacterial infections transferred through pharmaceutical and F&B products.

Meanwhile, researchers at the King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang in Thailand developed a polylactic acid composite pineapple leaf fiber biopolymer. The composite could help meet the growing demand for biodegradable food packaging.

Also, Dafia, an EU-funded project led by Spanish research group Aimplas, released the results of an investigation into turning fish and municipal waste into biopolymers and other barrier packaging materials. The findings could be used to create edible coatings that extend food shelf life and offer antibacterial protection in the future.

By Natalie Schwertheim

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