24-5 |
Regulatory perspective on antimicrobials in packaging |
R. E. BRACKETT, Center for Food Safety & Applied Nutrition, U.S. Food & Drug Administration, Food Safety, 200 C St. S.W., HFS-32, Washington, DC 20204 The use of antimicrobial food additives has been an important tool in maintaining the quality and safety of food safety for many years. Historically, antimicrobial compounds were used primarily by including them directly in food formulations. However, food scientists later realized that these compounds could also be effective if coated onto or incorporated into packaging materials. Despite these innovative means to deliver the compounds to foods, antimicrobial packaging is still treated as additives by regulatory agencies. Consequently, antimicrobial packaging must pass the same strict reviews as other additives before being permitted for use in foods. The increased emphasis on food safety in recent years has prompted research and development into new antimicrobial compounds and packaging. In the past, regulatory approval of such new additives systems could take extended periods of time. However, FDA now allows for expedited reviews of new compounds that show promise in enhancing the safety of foods. A variety of factors can affect the appropriateness for using new antimicrobial packaging systems for foods. Obvious factors include efficacy of the additive and packaging materials in preventing growth or even eliminating pathogenic microorganisms, as well as the toxicity of the compound. However, the use of antimicrobial systems can also have less obvious, but nevertheless important and unforeseen effects on the safety of foods. For example, the combination of antimicrobial agents together with novel packaging materials may appear promising by reducing spoilage, resulting in an extended shelf-life. However, the extended shelf life and inhibition of competitive spoilage microorganisms could also allow or even select for pathogenic microorganisms which may not have grown if the antimicrobial packaging had not been used. Hence, food scientists should always anticipate and investigate such possibilities before too much time and effort and been used in developing and using antimicrobial packaging.
Session 24, Packaging tackles food safety: A look at antimicrobials
|