Novel Approach to Control Microbial Contamination of Germinated Wheat Sprouts: Photoactivatedchlorophillin-Chitosan Complex

High resistance of bacteria and fungi to antimicrobial treatments has led to the development of innovative and alternative antimicrobial technologies. It is well-known that chitosan itself is an antimicrobial agent, and chlorophyllin is water-soluble food additive (E140) and food component which in the presence of light exerts antimicrobial properties. Complex of these two antimicrobials can be background for the development of edible active biodegradable coating.The aim of this study was to evaluate antimicrobial efficiency of photoactivated chlorophyllin-chitosan complex against food pathogens and fungi on the surface of germinated wheat seeds. Obtained data indicate that chlorophyllin-chitosan complex in the presence of visible light (400nm) exhibits strong antimicrobial activity which can be used for decontamination of sprouts