An expert in food safety from the University of Lincoln is researching the development of a bacteria-busting coating for kitchen surfaces and food preparation areas which could have major implications for food hygiene and safety in both domestic kitchens and commercial food processing environments.

Mark Swainson, Senior Lecturer in Food Manufacturing at the University’s Holbeach Campus-based National Centre for Food Manufacturing, is working with nanotechnology experts at Nottingham Trent University’s (NTU) School of Science and Technology to develop a permanent spray-on coating technology that will exhibit antimicrobial behaviour, meaning that it can kill or inhibit the growth of micro-organisms such as bacteria or fungi. The superhydrophobic surface created will also expel water, further enhancing the antimicrobial effect by reducing the potential for bacteria to attach to the surface.

Mr Swainson said: “This particular application of nanotechnology may well prove invaluable to the food industry, serving to further support the quality and safety of products in food service outlets and supermarkets. Food manufacturers are constantly looking for ways to reduce product microbiological risks, and whilst this technology cannot address every problem associated with food production, it could certainly provide a significant safety aspect to help address such issues.”

“What’s very exciting is that this antimicrobial technology can be incorporated into factory materials that don’t come into direct contact with the food product, but which are likely to be harbouring many of the microorganisms of concern, for example process area floors and refrigeration units.  There is massive scope for this technology to be developed further and used across a wide range of food sector applications.”

Mr Swainson is working closely with Dr Fengge Gao, reader in nanotechnology at NTU, in a partnership that first formed whilst working upon the development of antimicrobial food and drink packaging materials. Now this research is being widened to look at how the related technology could be applied to process area surfaces.

To read more about the research, visit: http://www.lincoln.ac.uk/news/2011/03/344.asp