The nonprofit American Chemical Society (ACS) is researching how to increase the shelf life of strawberries using a cannabidiol (CBD) solution.
CBD is a non-psychoactive cannabinoid produced by cannabis plants, particularly hemp varieties.
The cannabinoid has achieved notoriety for its anti-seizure properties in epileptic children.
But while CBD has gained popularity for health and therapeutic benefits, it also has antimicrobial, antibacterial, and anti-fungal properties.
ACS says its Applied Materials & Interfaces researchers have combined CBD with sodium alginate to create a new protective coating.
According to the company, previous studies have shown that CBD inhibited bacterial and pathogenic fungal growth.
The growths are responsible for accelerated decay in fruits and vegetables.
The company was curious as to whether a food coating with CBD-filled nanoparticles would extend strawberries’ shelf life.
A CBD Solution
To create an effective and usable coating, ACS needed to distribute the CBD evenly throughout an edible solution.
ACS says researchers inserted CBD molecules into edible polymers, a method known as nanoencapsulation, to create the desired formulation.
The research team mixed the most-stable nanoparticles, which were 20 percent CBD, with sodium alginate in water.
Researchers submerged the strawberries into solutions with varying nanoparticle concentrations before a second dip of ascorbic acid and calcium chloride.
ACS says the second dip turned the coating into a colorless gel.
The strawberries then went into open plastic containers at refrigerator temperatures for fifteen days.
ACS says the CBD-treated samples ripened and decayed much more slowly than the untreated ones.
According to the company, the CBD coating may be the reason.
ACS says the coating with the highest CBD concentration had the best results.
The CBD-loaded formulation preserved the strawberries’ color, enhanced antioxidant activity, and exhibited the best antimicrobial protection during the experiment.
Researchers say the results suggest that CBD has definite potential as a colorless antimicrobial coating for active food packaging.
The coating would have virtually limitless applications in food storage and preservation.