Antimicrobial packaging in the age of COVID-19: Maintaining hygiene while boosting sustainability

08 Jun 2022 --- Following the COVID-19 pandemic, hygiene has come to the forefront of packaging design. As packaging is often the first point of contact for any item, antimicrobial packaging provides customers with an increased level of product protection against potentially harmful microbes. 

PackagingInsights sits down with India Hanspal, business development manager at Addmaster, and Main Choice’s Terry W J Meng, project leader for developing the company’s antibacterial technology branded Papel to discuss key benefits of antimicrobial packaging technologies and how their respective solutions work. 

We also talk about virus protection, consumer hygiene concerns and how the current R&D sphere can be improved. According to Innova Market Insights, 59% of global consumers believe packaging’s protective function is more important since the virus outbreak.

When bacteria come into contact with a Biomaster protected surface, the silver ions prevent them from growing and eventually kill them.Antimicrobial packaging technology
Throughout the food chain, good hygiene practices are essential to prevent the spread of bacteria like E.Coli, Campylobacter, Listeria and Salmonella. Antimicrobial additives, such as Addmaster’s Biomaster, reduce the opportunity for bacteria to grow on surfaces from farm to fork, including preparation, processing, packing and distribution. 

“For example, it will inhibit bacterial growth on the outer packaging of fresh meat products,” explains Hanspal.

“Restaurants can also use Biomaster antimicrobial technology in kitchen surfaces, appliances, flooring and wall paint and even in the coating on their menus. Opportunities are almost endless in the F&B industry,” says Hanspal.

Main Choice’s solutions have a similar impact on potentially dangerous bacteria. 

“The germ removal rate on oil-base Papel is up to 99.9% on both E.Coli and Staphylococcus Aureus, and the water base Papel has a removal rate of up to 91% on E.Coli and 99.99% S. Aureus,” says Meng.

“The technology has been applied on cake boxes, frozen food packaging, sushi take-away packaging, and even on facemask packaging,” he adds.

Addmaster’s Biomaster
When bacteria come into contact with a Biomaster protected surface, silver ions prevent them from growing, producing energy or replicating and they therefore die. 

“Biomaster Protection is incredibly durable, long lasting and highly active,” highlights Hanspal.

“When added, it is dispersed throughout the entire item and becomes an integral part of the product. Silver is inorganic and non-leaching which means that, unlike organic antimicrobial technologies, it stays within the item to which it is added and doesn’t leach out.”Biomaster’s Asda foil with antimicrobial technology inhibits cross-contamination of bacteria from hand to carton and from carton back to hand.

The active ingredient provides maximum antimicrobial product protection for the useful lifetime of the product. The additive is being used in food preparation areas, in cleaning tools, flooring, walls and piping. 

Biomaster at work 
Biomaster’s supermarket Asda range provides a range of own brand cling film, foil and bakery parchment dispenser cartons with Biomaster antimicrobial technology to inhibit cross-contamination of bacteria from hand to carton and from carton back to hand. 

Furthermore, Biomaster’s range of Electronic Temperature Instruments (ETI) provides equipment for use in professional and domestic kitchens worldwide, including the Biomaster protected waterproof Thermapen, which can test the true temperature of a product in three seconds. 

“Biomaster is also incorporated in the casings of most ETI products ensuring lifelong protection against bacterial cross contamination,” says Hanspal.

Main Choice’s Papel
Papel’s food-contact safe modifiers integrated with existing varnish form a hydration layer to repel bacteria, prevent them from adsorbing and forming biofilms. “The application of Papel is incorporated seamlessly into current packaging manufacturing processes and active packaging is achieved,” says Meng.

“The germ-repellent food packaging materials coated with Papel are leach-free and comply with the food-contact safety requirements from both the US and EU,” says Meng.

“The safe consumption of food is a constant priority of the food industry. It is of utmost importance to prevent cross-contamination of food from its packaging. Existing antimicrobial technology is unsuitable due to the safety concerns of leachable biocides,” highlights Meng. 

Papel’s food-contact safe modifiers integrated with existing varnish form a hydration layer to repel bacteria.Virus barriers
Hanspal explains Biomaster is active on both porous and non-porous substrates against SARS-CoV-2 – the virus that causes COVID-19. 

“The active agent has an effect on the lipid coating and the essential components required for SARS-CoV-2 to function and invade a host. Unlike alcohol-based gels, disinfectants and oxidisers, Biomaster antimicrobial technology is effective 24/7 for the lifetime of the treated article. Biomaster could therefore complement current hygiene guidance offering additional product protection,” she adds.

Meng states that Main Choice’s antimicrobial solutions are also effective in destroying viruses on packaging surfaces. 

“Papel is proven to be bacteria-repellent by accredited labs. Although viruses were not our main focus when we developed this technology, we also found that oil based Papel has over 80% of antiviral effectiveness against OC43 (a beta-coronavirus) based on ISO 21702,” he asserts.

Despite the gravity of the COVID-19 pandemic, Hanspal says the bacteria customers are most concerned about in the F&B industry are E.Coli, Campylobacter, Listeria and Salmonella.

“E.Coli and Staphylococcus Aureus are the two most common and dangerous causes of food poisoning,” adds Meng.

Improving current solutions 
Packaging is ever evolving, and R&D is now focusing on multi-layer packaging and how antimicrobials can be effective in particular layers. Also, film thickness is being reduced in certain products so adding antimicrobials that are compatible with such low particle sizes, while remaining non-leaching is how current solutions can be improved, explains Hanspal.

“Our R&D department also works on developing bespoke antimicrobial products that are food-contact safe so can be used in the F&B industry,” she adds.

However, Meng says that the main focus for antimicrobial packaging development should be the safety and environmental sustainability of materials.Papel offers a germ repellent solution to minimize the risk of contamination.

“Most of the conventional antimicrobial solutions might not be suitable for paper packaging due to the concerns of leachable biocides. Moreover, the recyclability of the packaging materials is also a concern,” he says.

False beliefs?
The resources it takes to let people know such technology exists are what Meng sees as a main obstacle to an increased uptake of antimicrobial packaging.

“There is a perceived notion that antimicrobial additives are extremely expensive and this is a barrier to uptake. However, depending on the size and weight of the packaging, additional cost is usually only a few pence to the product. This is negligible compared to the costs incurred with product recalls and employee safety,” concludes Hanspal.

By Natalie Schwertheim