Description:
Overview of Technology
Food grade, sustainable coating formulations can be combined with nets to protect foods from pests during curing processes.
Dry-cured ham is extremely susceptible to mold mite infestations during the aging process due to its moldy surface buildup and high fat and protein composition. Currently, Methyl bromide is the only fumigant pesticide that is effective in controlling mite infestations in plants that produce dry-cured ham. Due to its negative impact on the environment, namely its contribution to the depletion of the ozone, Methyl bromide treatment will soon become obsolete. This invention provides solutions and methods of applying food-grade coatings and compositions to protect foods and food containers against pest infestations and pest reproduction.
Background
Traditionally, methyl bromide was the fumigant that was used to help protect dry-cured ham from mites. However, upon the discovery of this substance depleting the ozone layer, the use of this substance was phased out, and the production of this was to be completely ended by 2016. Since manufacturing of this substance is prohibited, the cost is high and limited resources call for a new solution.
Cured pork producers in the Southeast are not able to control ham mite (Ryrophagus putrescentiae) infestations during aging without the use of, methyl bromide. Therefore, all dry cured ham producers that produce hams that are aged for 6 months or longer are looking for an alternative.
Description of Technology
This invention uses a coating/film on the surface of the dry cured hams that is formulated from food-grade ingredients tha is used to prevent ham-mite reproduction. These coatings range from a gel to a material that resembles plastic wrap. The overarching objective of these formulations aside from being effective is to combine these coatings with the ham nets using fine mesh so that the dry cured ham producers can purchase these nets and then use them to control pest infestations.
Benefits
- environmentally friendly
- economically friendly
- cost-effective
This technology will provide a sustainable, competitive advantage as its better for the environment as well as being more economical for ham producers.
Applications
Other products that could benefit from this technology include aged artisan cheese that have the same pest control issues as dry cured pork and fermented soy products that are produced in Asia. This technology likely has commercial potential anywhere that fermentation is conducted and there is product lost due to mold and or pest infestation.
This technology will allow ham producers to protect their products without the use of the ozone-layer harming substance at a far cheaper cost.
Opportunity
This technology has commercial potential anywhere that fermentation is conducted and there is product lost due to mold and/or pest infestation.