Anti-Microbial Nanomaterials for Rendering Applications

Date: February 19, 2016

Principal Investigators: Daniel C. Whitehead, Frank Alexis, and Kristi Whitehead, Clemson University

Summary:

This proposed project sought to build upon our very successful ACREC supported program toward the development of functional nanomaterials for rendering operations. We have successfully developed and continue to study biodegradable, functional nanomaterials that are capable of capturing or chemically modifying malodorant molecules that contribute to unsavory odors associated with raw material piles and rendering operations. In this off-shoot proposal, we began to investigate whether the same design strategies could be employed to develop related materials that exhibit antimicrobial properties. We envisioned that these novel materials might provide a safe and reliable method to 1.) decontaminate work surfaces at rendering sites (including raw material staging areas, raw material front-end loaders, raw-material trucks, grease collection bins), and 2.) as a potential non-toxic additive or filter treatment for rendered products, especially fats, to prevent bacterial recontamination during truck loading and off-loading as well as during the application of the fat coat on pet food kibble.

 

Briefly, the ultimate goals of this project were to pursue the synthesis of functional anti-microbial biodegradable nanomaterials and to confirm their ability to kill both Gram-Negative and Gram-Positive bacteria in the culture broth.

Objective (s):

1. To synthesize and characterize chlorinated polymeric nanoparticles for investigation as antimicrobial materials.
2. To investigate the antimicrobial properties of chlorinated nanoparticles against Grampositive and Gram-negative bacteria in the culture broth.