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Project Topic
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The proposed project “Bio-based antimicrobial packaging materials to increase the shelf life of naturally fermented low-salt table olives (OLIVEPACK)” offers an innovative, circular economy-oriented bio-based antimicrobial food packaging material that is specifically tailored to increase the shelf life of table olive, a food product that is of high economic importance for the Mediterranean region. An innovative solution will be presented to the problem of the use of high salt concentrations or chemical additives, which are required to preserve naturally fermented olives, but seriously threaten human health. Within the scope of OLIVEPACK, a biobased, biodegradable, antimicrobial bionanocomposite foam composed of natural components, that is designed to be placed into any table olive packaging as a packaging insert will be developed. Adapting a circular economy approach, the packaging inserts will be composed of natural antimicrobial agents extracted from table olive wastewater and cellulose polymer matrix extracted from olive tree waste. Through a multidisciplinary approach integrating expertise in materials science, food microbiology, sensory analysis and food science, the food packaging inserts will be evaluated in terms of their antimicrobial activity, their effect on the nutritional, physicochemical and sensory properties of table olives, and also their market acceptance and socioeconomic impact. OLIVEPACK, through an interlinked, interdisciplinary, multi-actor approach, will make significant progress beyond the current state of the art by introducing a novel storage solution for low-sodium, preservative-free naturally fermented table olives. The novel bionanocomposite foam packaging inserts solely composed of natural and biodegradable components will not only help to reduce food waste but also ensure consumption of safer and healthier table olives with extended shelf-life, all without putting any burden on the environment.
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