Israel-based Oplon has partnered with American packaging company Reynolds Group to create antimicrobial coatings for packaging which could extend shelf life of food products by months.The coating is expected to be commercially available within the next two years.
According to Oplon,the length of the shelf life that each coating can offer varies on the food,the method of application,such as injecting or spraying,and the type of packaging it is applied.However,Oplon noted that it can engineer how long it lasts based on these factors.
The coating could be used across multiple brands and types including fresh meat,liquid food and beverages.Some coatings could be ready within 18 months,while others could take longer to fully develop.
Oplon chairman Ronen Melnik told FoodProductionDaily.com that extending shelf life has come at a cost,both in terms of the product nutrition,and in terms of environmental impact.
"By offering packaging that itself reduces spoilage we can improve the products and reduce costs at the same time,"Melnik added.
According to Oplon,the new packaging can benefit large parts of Africa and Asia where chilled supply chains are non-existent and the food value chain suffers from high spoilage rates.
Oplon is a materials science company that develops protective products,coatings and processes,based on a novel polymer compound.
