Plant-Based Food Preservative that’s More Effective than Artificial Ones
Scientists from Nanyang Technological University (NTU Singapore) have discovered a plant-based food preservative that they claim is more effective than artificial preservatives. The organic preservative comprises flavonoids the flavonoids created by NTU scientists have strong anti-microbial and anti-oxidant properties. Flavonoids are found in almost all fruits and vegetables; it is responsible for inducing vivid colors in them. These include onions, tea, strawberries, kale, and grapes. The team’s findings were published last month in Food Chemistry, 2019; 270: 123 DOI. Flavonoids’ anti-microbial potential have been reported before, however, they have not been used as a food preservative because they require further processing before they can inhibit bacteria. The NTU researchers achieved this by implanting the flavonoids-producing mechanism from plants into baker’s yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae). The new flavonoids may open new doors in food preservation technologies, providing a low-cost solution for industries. @ 