New strategies and technologies for the storage of food commodities to reduce waste

The amount of food waste generated across global food value chains is increasing, and interventions to reverse this trend are needed. Considering the perishability of the food and beverages through storage and prior consumption, several approaches can be followed based on the considered food and the agent responsible for the quality decay. Indeed, here three technologies are proposed to prolong the shelf-life of food and beverages:

1. Use of optically active molecules to reduce the risk of photodegradation in packaged food and beverages.
2. Application of a prototype of a container equipped with a controlled atmosphere to counteract the perishability of fruits and vegetables.
3. Use of microbial metabolites to inhibit the spoilage agents on cereal-based foods.

The planned research activities will cover the following topics: 

Optically active molecules (UNIMI)

• Characterization of the optical properties and sensitivity to radiation of molecules from waste.
• Chemical modification of molecules to improve some mechanisms of reaction with specific wavelengths.
• Creation of direct and/or indirect protective packaging systems.
• Testing by coating molecules onto recyclable polymers in a real (photo-sensitive) food-packaging case study.

Controlled atmosphere (CNR)

• Application of a prototype of a container equipped with controlled atmosphere simulating the transport of products. 
• Evaluation of the quality level of fresh and packaged fruits and vegetables by computer vision system. 
• Testing of MOX gas sensors.
• Volatilomics of food commodities and the impact of the storage condition will be explored.

Microbial metabolites (UNIBA)

• Selection of microorganisms with antimicrobial activity.
• Use of the most promising microorganisms for controlled fermentation to synthesize the bioactive compounds.
• Use of the ingredient in cereal-based foods.

• List of optically active substances. 
• Mechanisms of action and effective protection against photodegradation in-situ.
• Effectiveness of intelligent optically active systems and their optimization.
• Selective reduction or modulation of the light emitting spectra of lamps and optimization of the turnover time on the lighted shelves of the most photo-sensitive food products.
• Validated protocol to transport in controlled atmosphere perishable horticultural products.
• Definition of the algorithm to predict quality level by image analysis.
• Creation of a sensor array.
• Microorganisms with antimicrobial activity.
• Fermented matrix with improved antimicrobial activity.
• Identification of bioactive molecules.
• Cereal-based food with prolonged shelf-life.