DEVELOPMENT OF ANTIMICROBIAL PACKAGING MATERIALS FOR FOOD PRODUCTS BASED ON COPPER NANOPARTICLES

In the process of storage and delivery, food products are subjected to physical changes, resulting in moisture exchange between the product and the environment, mechanical damage, chemical processes occurring in the product itself, as well as microbiological damage. The use of packaging materials on the basis of polyolefins, reduce the influencing factors leading to rapid corruption of food products. However, by their nature, polyethylene and polypropylene films do not have antimicrobial properties. Therefore, in order for the packaging based on them to protect the product from microbiological damage, various technological techniques are used for the processing of packaging, as well as the introduction of special antimicrobial agents into the composition of the film. The present study developed a method of synthesis of copper oxide nanoparticles stabilized with gelatin and pectin. The synthesis was carried out by direct chemical sedimentation. Copper chloride was used as a precursor to the synthesis of copper oxide. Gelatin and pectin were used as stabilizers. The results showed that CuO nanoparticles, stabilized with gelatin and pectin, have a high potential for use in food packaging – both as a stand-alone nanoplane and as part of other packaging materials.