Photocatalytic effects on the quality of pork packed in the package combined with TiO2 coated nonwoven fabrics

Abstract The ability of titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ) to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) offers new opportunity to decontaminate perishable foods. The current study was aimed to prepare a TiO 2 coated nonwoven fabric photocatalytic package (TiO 2 /NWF package) and assess the effects of in‐package photocatalysis on pork. In this study, layer by layer self‐assembly method was chosen to coat TiO 2 nanoparticles on the NWF and eight layers TiO 2 loading showed the higher photoactivity. A selected TiO 2 /NWF composite was combined with a package to form TiO 2 /NWF package. Pork was stored in the TiO 2 /NWF package, the antibacterial effects of TiO 2 photocatalysis (TPC) on total viable count and Escherichia coli in pork were achieved. TPC treatment provided better antibacterial efficiency as compared with UV treatment alone. Moreover, TPC treatment significantly ( p < .05) influenced pH and lipid oxidation after exposure for 45 min. These results indicate that TiO 2 /NWF package has the potential for preserving fresh foods. Practical applications Traditional thermal treatment can adversely affect the sensory and nutritional quality of foods, titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ) photocatalysis as a nonthermal disinfection technology can provide a low cost and convenient approach to reduce the risk of microbial contamination and enhance the safety of fresh products. The current study developed a TiO 2 coated nonwoven fabric photocatalytic package (TiO 2 /NWF package) and evaluated effects of in‐package photocatalysis on pork samples. Results showed that photocatalytic reactions took place in the TiO 2 /NWF package and the generated active ROS contributed to the inactivation of microbes. Therefore, TiO 2 photocatalysis has great potential for ensuring food safety for the food industry.