Food Grade, GRAS Antimicrobial Nanoemulsions for Use as a Food Disinfectant/Sanitizer

LEAD INVENTOR:

D. Julian McClements, Ph.D.

PRODUCT OPPORTUNITIES

Food disinfectant and sanitizer
Antimicrobial treatment for sprouting seeds
Household Cleaner
Sterilizing and disinfecting solution for industrial equipment

COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGES

PERFORMANCE FACTORS	High Pressure Homogenization	Ultrasound	Rotor/Stator	Solvent Displacement	Phase Inversion Temperature	THIS INVENTION
Low Energy	-	-	-	+	+	+
Droplet radius ≤100nm	-	-	-	+	+	+
Long Term Stability	+	-	-	-	+	+
Increased water-solubility of hydrophobic essential oils	+	+	+	+	+	+
Easy industrial scale-up	+	-	+	-	-	+

TECHNOLOGY DESCRIPTION

This invention provides a food grade, GRAS disinfectant/sanitizer that can be applied to various food systems. Such disinfectant/sanitizer comprises an acidified antimicrobial nanoemulsion assembled spontaneously in the presence of an organic phase and an aqueous phase comprising an organic acid and an essential oil. The essential oil functions to permeabilize and depolarize the cytoplasmic membrane of foodborne pathogens while the organic acid has a direct impact on the intracellular pH of the pathogens. This combination has been proven to be effective with significant log reductions of various pathogens on both food and non-food surfaces. The utilization of spontaneous emulsification allows for minimal equipment, nominal training, and low energy by employing the stored chemical energy of the system.

ABOUT THE LEAD INVENTOR

Dr. D. Julian McClements is a Distinguished Professor in the Department of Food Science at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. His research interests include food biopolymers and colloids, oral delivery systems, gastrointestinal fate of nutrients and nutraceuticals, and food nanotechnolgy. He has published over 850 scientific articles in peer-reviewed journals, and is the co-editor of Annual Reviews in Food Science and Technology and a member of the editorial boards of a number of other journals.

AVAILABILITY:

Available for Licensing and/or Sponsored Research

DOCKET:

UMA 16-001

PATENT STATUS:

U.S. Patent 10,357,049 issued

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Category(s):

Food technology & plant science