76 million cases of food-borne illness are diagnosed every year in the United States, and according to the Food Safety and Inspection Service, there have been over 130 voluntary recalls of meat products since 2004. A survey done in 2002 by the Food and Safety Inspection Service also indicates that consumers believe that the most likely cause of food-borne illness is food handling procedures at food processing plants and restaurants. For this reason, food processors must find new ways in which to ensure the quality of their products, and keep contamination to a minimum.
Researchers from the University of Manitoba have recently developed a coating containing only natural ingredients, which can be combined with commercially available antimicrobial agents for use on any perishable food surface. This patent protected coating and antimicrobial system is able to, for example, decrease salmonella inoculation in chicken to a greater degree than antimicrobial agents alone, due to its ability to adhere to the surface for a greater period of time (up to 120 hours). This type of coating would significantly enhance the ability of food processors to ensure that their products are free of any food-borne pathogens and help increase consumer confidence.
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