Developing a New Class of Antifouling/ntimicrobial Polymer Coatings for Food-Contact Surfaces

The main objective of this proposal is to develop a new class of antifouling/antimicrobial zwitterionic-halamine (Zw-Ha) copolymers to modify food-contact surfaces. Specifically, we will perform the following lines of research:Aim 1. Synthesize a series of polymerizable monomers that contain N-halamine precursor groups such as hydantionylacrylamide, or zwitterionic groups such as phosphorylcholine, sulfobetaine and carboxybetaine.Aim 2. Develop universal methods for surface-initiated co-polymerization of the monomers synthesized in Aim 1 and modify different types of food-contact surfaces such as stainless steel, glass and plastic.Aim 3. Test the antifouling and antimicrobial properties of the modified surfaces against different proteins and representative bacteria including Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli O157:H7 and evaluate the biofilm control effect of select coated materials.Aim 4. Test microbiological control effect of select coated materials in various food models including dairy, raw meat and fresh produce against related pathogenic or spoilage bacteria in each food category including Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli O157:H7, Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella spp. and Pseudomonas.