Sustainable concept in ACTive edible COatings development for shelf-life extension of fresh Adriatic FISH
Description: ActCoFISH is a multidisciplinary project that unites expertise in food science, biopolymer materials, microbiology and sustainable production to achieve a scientific breakthrough to food packaging. Project is focused on active packaging technology that sustainably upgrades abundant biopolymers into high-value active edible coatings for fresh fish. Project is described through 7 scientific goals and is focused on the development and characterisation of new designed biopolymer formulations for edible coatings. Coatings will be made from natural resources. Biopolymers will be enriched with natural bioactive compounds with antioxidant and antimicrobial activity where ActCoFISH will provide more than just a food coating. Formulations will be optimised to preserve the quality and inhibit microbial spoilage of fresh Adriatic fish in order to extend its shelf-life. Natural biopolymers will be used as an ideal protective carrier of natural active compounds from Mediterranean plants and by-products of their processing and/or from seaweed. Newly designed biobased formulations will be characterised in detail (physico-chemical, barrier, surface, thermal, structural, functional properties and controlled release of active compounds) to create a new paradigm on formulation/structure related properties that are indispensable parameters for effective coating application or their functionality. Furthermore, coatings will be applied on fresh white and blue fish from the Adriatic Sea, an important label of the Croatian economy. The synergistic effect of new active coatings and modified atmosphere packaging will be elaborated. ActCoFISH is driven by still unexplored opportunity to unravel the next generation of active materials for fish packaging. Although the scientific impact of this research is very high, transfer of knowledge and technology is possible since ActCoFISH addresses the global problem of unnecessary food losses through the responsible use of natural resources.
Funder: Hrvatska Zaklada za Znanost
Amount: €199,100
Funding type: grant
Funder scheme: IP
Start date: 2023-12-29
End date: 2027-12-28
Investigator: Mia Kurek
Institution: University of Zagreb, Faculty of Food Technology and Biotechnology
Funded outputs count: 7
Funder award ID: IP-2022-10-1837
OpenAlex ID: G6082591215