Resumen de Development of active plastic crate and evaluation of phytopathogenic and pathogenic food spoilage micro-organism inhibition
Michele da Silva Pinto, Nilda de F. F. Soares, Edimar Aparecida Filomeno Fontes, Robson M. Geraldine, José Carlos Baffa Júnior, Nathália Ramos de Melo
BACKGROUND: The plastic crates used in fruit and vegetable shipping can be vehicles of disease dissemination among production fields, since there is a chance of phytopathogenic micro-organism adhesion on the crate surfaces when in contact with soil, contaminated produce or handling. The aim of this study was to develop an active plastic crate incorporated with a triclosan-based antimicrobial agent and to evaluate its efficiency of micro-organism inhibition. RESULTS:Staphylococcus aureus (a human pathogen), Clavibacter michiganensis ssp. michiganensis and Erwinia carotovora ssp. carotovora (phytopathogens) were the most sensitive micro-organisms when in contact with samples of plastic crate incorporated with 30 g kg−1 of antimicrobial agent. They presented diameters of approximately 5.0, 3.5 and 3.5 cm respectively in the halo test. Mean specific growth rates decreased in samples with 30 g kg−1 of antimicrobial agent, compared with control samples, from 1.13 to 0 h−1 for S. aureus, from 1.26 to 0.47 h−1 for Escherichia coli and from 1.75 to 0.18 h−1 for Listeria monocytogenes. The antimicrobial agent did not influence the mechanical properties of the crates. CONCLUSION: The active plastic crate has great potential to contribute to the safety of horticultural produce by restraining the proliferation of micro-organisms among production fields. Copyright © 2008 Society of Chemical Industry
