Effect of stable antimicrobial nano-silver packaging on inhibiting mildew and in storage of rice

• The antimicrobial films were synthesized by blending polyethylene and highly dispersed nanoscale Ag/TiO2 powder.
• Nano-packing has long-term antibacterial activity because of the strong interaction between Ag and TiO2.
• Nano-packing retarded the changes of pasting qualities and texture of rice.

Antimicrobial nano-silver packaging (ANP) films were synthesized by blending polyethylene and highly dispersed Ag/TiO2 powder for rice storage at 37 °C and 70% relative humidity. ANP films were characterized by X-ray diffraction and silver migration. The antimicrobial activity of the films was assessed on Aspergillus flavus (A. flavus) by scanning electron microscope and total plate count, and the storage quality of rice was evaluated by texture analyzer and rapid viscosity analyzer. The results show that ANP had a quite beneficial effect on the antimildew and physicochemical property as compared to the normal PE packaging. During 35 days storage, the migration of silver into rice was not evident. A lower microbial population is observed on ANP that should be attributed to the presence of Ag/TiO2. Furthermore, rice packed by ANP shows an enhanced quality with regards to texture and pasting properties. Therefore, ANP is a promising packaging material for rice storage.