Who would have thought that the yummy element in pesto can also double as a wrap to keep food fresh? Basil has long been recognized to have bacteria-fighting assets, so scientists at the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology in Israel have been trying to incorporate it into plastic wraps to preserve foods. The whole idea came about when the researchers read about studies utilizing basil in foods as a preservative. The research was presented at the annual symposium of the International Packaging Research Institutes in Valencia, Spain by lead researcher Prof. Joseph Miltz of the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Faculty of Food Engineering and Biotechnology, and by Profs. K. Sonneveld, S. Bigger and doctoral student Panuwat Suppakul from the Victoria University of Technology in Melbourne, Australia.
The extracts methyl chavicol and linalool seep out of the wrapping and decelerate the growth of eight types of lethal bacteria including E. Coli and listeria. In addition, an added benefit is that the wrapping broadens the shelf life of foods like cheese, meats, fish, baked foods, fruits and vegetables. The researchers recognized that the bacterium which causes the spoilage is located on the food’s surface, so instead of infusing the food with large amounts of basil as a preservative, they could integrate the basil extracts into the packaging in smaller concentrations. Soon after, the extracts diffuse onto the surface of the food, killing any microorganisms. According to the scientists, they use so little basil that there is no worry about imparting basil’s flavor to the foods being wrapped.
What I learned from all this was that adding a little basil to my cooking just might keep the bacteria out of my food. What’s more, I love New Zealand grass-fed cheeses, and they are not inexpensive, by any means. I try and keep them wrapped and free of air, but once in a while they grow mold and I end up throwing it away. After reading this, I bought some fresh basil, and I surrounded the cheese with it before tightly wrapping it. I have to admit that I have not lost an ounce of cheese since. You have to love that!