Development and Evaluation of Antimicrobial Packaging Film: Addis Ababa University Institute of Technology Post Graduate Program

A safe and reliable delivery of food has emerged as one of the major industrial concerns of our time.some 30 percent of food losses in developing countries are the direct result of improper food packaging. Contamination of food products by pathogenic bacteria has emerged as a serious public concern. Bacteria such as Listeria monocytogenes, Bacillus cereus, Escherichia coli (O157: H7), Staphylococus aureus, Salmonella typhimurium, and Shigella sonnei are identified as the most potent pathogens associated with food borne illnesses. Inherent antibacterial properties and film-forming ability of starch-saponin mix make it ideal for use as an antimicrobial packaging material. The results have clearly shown that a release rate of the saponin from the films can be modified by changing the composition of the initial casting solution. The maximum antimicrobial activities and tensile strength of the films increased with an increase in an amount of the saponin in the casting solution.