Researchers study super-repellent surfaces for safer fruits, vegetablesTexas A&M AgriLife Re

Researchers study super-repellent surfaces for safer fruits, vegetables

Texas A&M AgriLife Research and the Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station, TEES, were recently awarded a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture to study and develop super-repellent and anti-fouling surfaces for foods.
The grant will be used in their collaboration to help ensure the safety of fresh food products, benefiting both consumers and the produce industry.
“There is a need to reduce those outbreaks associated with microbial contamination that may take place in different operations along the fresh produce chain,” said Dr. Luis Cisneros-Zevallos, AgriLife Research food scientist in College Station and co-principal investigator for the project. “The surfaces we are designing avoid cross-contamination and reduce the risk of biofilm formation.”
“In recent years, we have developed various types of nanotechnology-based coating with an intriguing combination of surface texture and chemistry to inhibit and prevent the attachment of microorganisms on plastics, metals, ceramic and glass at the laboratory scale,” said Dr. Mustafa Akbulut, TEES chemical engineer in College Station and principal investigator for the project.