A polymer composite comprising a clay modified with a coupling agent such as an organosilane; and a plant protein matrix, wherein the coupling agent couples the modified clay to the plant protein polymeric matrix. An antimicrobial agent can also be coupled to the coupling agent. Suitable antimicrobial agents include chitosan and its derivatives, transition metals and inorganic oxides. A method of forming the polymer composite coating on a substrate, a multi-layered structure comprising said composite and a composition comprising the composite is also defined. The composite is useful in food packaging.

A use, as antimicrobial material, of semicrystalline nano- and/or microfibrillated cellulose to which silver nanoparticles are attached, the silver nanoparticles being present in a weight amount strictly greater than 1% and strictly less than 20% relative to the total weight of said cellulose, the material being obtained with a process including at least one step of microwave irradiation of an aqueous dispersion of semicrystalline nano- and/or microfibrillated cellulose supplemented with at least one silver salt, in the presence of a reducing agent. An antimicrobial composition including such an antimicrobial material and to the application thereof for forming an antimicrobial film or coating, in particular for an article for food-processing.

A use, as antimicrobial material, of semicrystalline nano- and/or microfibrillated cellulose to which silver nanoparticles are attached, the silver nanoparticles being present in a weight amount strictly greater than 1% and strictly less than 20% relative to the total weight of said cellulose, the material being obtained with a process including at least one step of microwave irradiation of an aqueous dispersion of semicrystalline nano- and/or microfibrillated cellulose supplemented with at least one silver salt, in the presence of a reducing agent. An antimicrobial composition including such an antimicrobial material and to the application thereof for forming an antimicrobial film or coating, in particular for an article for food-processing.

Disclosed is an apparatus for inactivating bacteria and/or reducing microbial count on a food product or a container therefore, which is susceptible to surface and sub-surface microbial presence is provided, said apparatus comprising a sealable chamber which is operably connected to i) an ozone generator for generating ozone gas, and ii) an evacuation fan for forcing movement of ozone gas through the sealable chamber. Also disclosed is a method for inactivating bacteria and/or reducing microbial count on a food product or a container therefore, which is susceptible to surface and sub-surface microbial presence is provided, said method comprising a) providing a plurality of said food product or container in a sealable chamber which is operably connected to i) an ozone generator for generating ozone gas, and ii) an evacuation fan for forcing movement of ozone gas vertically through the sealable chamber; b) creating condensation on surface of the food product or container by adjusting humidity in the sealable chamber to reach a predetermined humidity; c) operating the ozone generator and the evacuation fan to generate a predetermined exhaust air velocity to pass ozone gas generated by the ozone generator through the sealable chamber for a predetermined period of dwell time; and d) expelling ozone gas from the sealable chamber. The present invention further provides for a method for reducing a level of bacteria, yeast, mold and mildew in or on a container.

An apparatus 20 for microwave vacuum-drying organic materials such as foods and bioactives has a plurality of microwave generators 50 actuated so as to cause interference between their respective microwave streams and evenly distribute the microwave energy across the vacuum chamber 34. The microwave-transparent window 36 in the chamber is arranged so the organic material to be dried is moved across it on a conveyor belt 60 and the microwave energy passing into the chamber 34 immediately encounters the organic materials, thus attenuating the energy and reducing arcing.

An antimicrobial mixture is disclosed, comprising: (a) a first antimicrobial agent selected from acetophenone derivatives of formula (I)

##STR00001## in which R.sub.1 is hydrogen or methyl, and R.sub.2 is hydrogen, hydroxyl, a OCH3 group, or a cosmetically or pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof; and (b) a second antimicrobial agent selected from organic acids of undecylenic acid, 2,4-hexadienoic acid, anisic acid, benzoic acid and esters thereof, para-hydroxybenzoic acid and esters thereof, caprylhydroxamic acid, dehydracetic acid, levulinic acid, perillic acid, propionic acid, salicylic acid, sorbohydroxamic acid, sorbic acid, hydroxymethylaminoactic acid, cinnamic acid, 2-butyloctanoic acid, glyceryl caprylic acid and esters thereof, salts of the aforementioned organic acids, or mixtures thereof.

The present invention relates to an Impatiens balsamina-derived anti-bacterial peptide and an anti-bacterial composition comprising same. Specifically, six types of peptide derivatives were prepared on the basis of the sequence of a conventional Impatiens balsamina-derived peptide Ib-AMP4 known to have anti-fungal activity, and a peptide derivative exhibiting anti-bacterial and anti fungal activity better than that of Ib-AMP4 and having weak cytotoxicity and hemolytic properties has been identified, and thus the peptide derivative, which is an Impatiens balsamina-derived anti-bacterial peptide, can be used, in the fields of medicine, cosmetics and food, as an anti-bacterial or anti-fungal pharmaceutical composition, antibiotic, food preservative, cosmetic preservative, pharmaceutical preservative or feed additive preservative, and the like.

The disclosure provides for compositions and methods for the preservation of meat substitutes containing plant heme protein. In particular, small molecules that can fit in the unique heme pocket of plant heme proteins are provided to stabilize and preserve meat substitutes the products.

The disclosure provides for compositions and methods for the preservation of meat substitutes containing plant heme protein. In particular, small molecules that can fit in the unique heme pocket of plant heme proteins are provided to stabilize and preserve meat substitutes the products.

Prophylactic and/or therapeutic antipathogen agents are provided that disrupt or prevent the formation of at least one homotypic and/or heterotypic protein-protein interaction that has at least one CEA-family protein and that is involved in the establishment and colonization of a pathogen in a suitable host.