SBP 22 - Shelf-Life Extension of Foods through a Self-Dispensing Sanitizer Refrigerator

This semester 5 project aimed at designing a Smart Sanitization Refrigeration System. It delves into the critical concern of food spoilage and resultant wastage when stored inside conventional refrigerators over extended periods. It addresses the gap in understanding if the use of sanitizing solutions inside conventional refrigerators makes them more effective at controlling spoilage than stand-alone refrigerators, hence hypothesizing that sanitizing with food-safe sanitizers extends shelf life significantly. Project objectives included investigating system effectiveness through microbial growth and food spoilage analysis and assessing the efficacy of different sanitizing solutions. Methods involved initial sanitization, food sample placement, and Smart Sanitizer Dispenser. This is followed by spread plating on general and selective media, incubation at 37ᵒC for 48 hours, and microbial enumeration. Results revealed a significant extension in shelf life of samples placed in the smart refrigerator. This was confirmed by microbial enumeration of swabs taken from the surface (internal) and on food samples by sterile swab sticks. The findings hold the potential to revolutionize food preservation and food safety to the benefit of consumers and the food industry.