Controlling microbial growth in plastic packaging

Antimicrobial additives can be used with polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), and other plastics to inhibit biofilm build up in bottles, medical products, and other plastic items, it is reported.

MicroBlok S and MicroBlok Z from Plastics Color Corp. can be used to help eliminate undesired odors, enhance product freshness, prevent product degradation, and fight stains, according to a company statement.

“Depending on the version of MicroBlok, as an antimicrobial, it inhibits the growth, on the treated plastic, of bacteria, molds, fungi, etc.,” Sarah Skidmore, Marketing Manager at Plastics Color, tells PMP News. “MicroBlok protects the plastic by preventing product degradation. As a masterbatch (or compound, if desired), it is dispersed into the resin used to create the part — so it lasts the lifetime of the product.”  

MicroBlok S consists of silver ions that are evenly dispersed throughout an application, while MicroBlok Z contains a zinc compound and is suited for resins with low melting temperatures, the company reports. Common resins for MicroBlok S include TPU, PC, ABS, PP, and PE; TPE, TPU, PE, and PP are suitable for MicroBlok Z.

Stable at any polymer processing temperature, MicroBlok is strictly regulated under the Environmental Protection Agency’s Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) as well as by FDA and the National Sanitation Foundation. The company reports that it has been tested and approved to meet (or exceed) several regulatory statutes, including ISO 22196:2011, which measures the growth of bacteria within a 24-hour period on the tested plastic substrates. 

For more information on MicroBlok S or Z, visit www.PlasticsColor.com.

Image courtesy Plastics Color Corp.