Food Films

[docsconz]

An article in today's NY Times by Kim Severson titled Edible Films with Superpowers gives an overview of work going on in Food Scence labs on naturally derived food coatings to reduce or prevent bacterial contamination of a variety of foods.

In a handful of food science labs around the country, people who talk about food in terms of microbes and polymers have been turning the natural pathogen fighters found in everyday food into edible films and powders.

If their work pans out, thin films woven with a thyme derivative that can kill E. coli could line bags of fresh spinach. The same material in powder form might be sprinkled on packages of chicken to stop salmonella.

Strawberries could be dipped in a soup made from egg proteins and shrimp shells. The resulting film — invisible, edible and, ideally, flavorless — would fight mold, kill pathogens and keep the fruit ripe longer.

For average eaters who are still scratching their heads over trans fat, food coated with invisible films that lure bad microorganisms to their death might as well be nuclear fusion. But food scientists believe the potential for using these everyday ingredients to make a safer food supply is huge....

...But scientists say the films might be a more palatable way of killing pathogens than irradiation, a process that has met resistance from food advocacy organizations. And as excited as the scientists are about their new powders and films, they are quick to point out that the products are not cure-alls.

“This is not intended to make up for sloppy growing or handling or cleaning and processing,” Professor Krochta said.

Assuming that these eventually make it to market, which appears likely according to this article, do you see this as a boon or a bust?

Assuming that you agree with the principle Slow Food tenets of "good, clean and fair," do you think this is consistent with that?