Beeswax: an innovative approach in food preservation

While beeswax wraps are a modern take on an old concept, food storage before refrigeration and plastic relied on a variety of techniques depending on the climate and the type of food:

• Drying: This is one of the oldest methods. People would slice fruits and vegetables like apples, tomatoes, and herbs and dry them in the sun. Dried foods last for months and can be rehydrated for use later. Fish could also be dried or smoked for preservation.
• Salting: Salt draws moisture out of food, slowing down the growth of bacteria. Meat and fish were commonly packed in salt, a technique still used today for cured meats and lox.
• Fermentation: Fermentation uses beneficial bacteria to preserve food and create new flavors. Sauerkraut, kimchi, and yogurt are all examples of fermented foods.
• Cellaring: Storing food in cool, dark places like root cellars or caves helped to slow down spoilage. This method works best for root vegetables, potatoes, and some fruits.
• Earthenware and Glass: People used clay pots and glass containers to store food. To remove dust and pests, these containers could be sealed with beeswax, cloth, or other materials.
• Sugaring: Fruits were sometimes preserved in jars filled with honey or syrup. The sugar creates a concentrated environment that inhibits bacterial growth.
• Wrapping: While not precisely like beeswax wraps, people used various materials to wrap food. Leaves, animal skins, and cloth were all used to cover and protect food items.

It’s important to remember that these methods could have been better. Food spoilage still occurred, and people relied on seasonal availability for much of their diet. The invention of refrigeration revolutionized food storage, but beeswax wraps offer a more natural and sustainable alternative to plastic wrap for some situations.

Food Preservation with Beeswax Wrap

Food preservation is a vital issue on a global scale. Beeswax has a long history of being used in food preservation. Beeswax wraps were used to preserve food. Beeswax wrap is a food wrap material consisting of a coated fabric, most commonly cotton. It infuses cotton with food-grade beeswax, rosin, coconut, and jojoba oil. Unlike some plastics, beeswax wraps are breathable. This allows produce to release excess moisture and gasses, which helps prevent them from rotting from the inside. It reflects both the need to avoid food spoilage and the necessity for reducing the occurrence of food-borne pathogens. 

Progress in technology allowed for the development of various techniques that inhibit the growth or activity of food-contaminating microbes. In the last few years, we have seen the creation of different types of antimicrobial[2] food packaging systems. They contain active antimicrobial agents immobilized on a material that acts as a food wrap. The Abeego wrap contains natural products such as waxes and oils, which can display antimicrobial activity. After each use, beeswax wrap can be washed and air-dried. Beeswax wrap usually loses its grip after one year. When the wrap loses its grip, it can be composted. 

Prevent Food Wastage

Roughly one-third of the food produced for human consumption goes to rot or waste.[3] That’s about 1.3 Billion tons[11] a year. As food production is resource-intensive, food losses are accompanied by other environmental impacts, such as deforestation, water and air pollution, and greenhouse gas emissions. Along the food production-consumption chain, households represent the largest food-waste faction.[4] Over 50% of food waste occurs at home in the Western world. 2018 Schanes, Dobernig, and Gözet systematically reviewed household food waste practices. They concluded that households face conflicts between good intentions to prevent food waste and preferences regarding taste, freshness, cleanliness, and food safety.

Beeswax wrap’s primary use is food preservation within the home. Approximately 1.3 billion tonnes of food annually are wasted, causing financial losses and significant harm to the environment and natural resources.[5] Beeswax wrap can reduce food waste as it is made from breathable materials that keep food fresher for longer. Beeswax wrap has the potential to reduce food waste due to its antimicrobial properties that may prevent the spoilage of food products.

The antimicrobial effects of beeswax wrap

The spoilage of food products caused by microbes is a concern for many sub-sectors of the food industry.[2] An estimated 25% of the world’s food is lost due to microorganism activity. Food spoilage results in food wastage as products become unsuitable for consumption, causing significant financial losses. Recent technological progression has led to the development of techniques targeted to prevent the activity and growth of food-contaminating microbes.[2]

The anti-microbial properties of food wrap containing beeswax are attributed to propolis. Propolis is a resin-like material made by bees from tree buds.[2]

A 2017 study conducted by Pinto, Pankowski, and Nano for the Journal of Microbiology, Biotechnology, and Food Sciences discovered that beeswax wrap can prevent the activity of microbes that contaminate food by inhibiting the viable cell count of bacteria. This implies that beeswax wrap can constrain the spread of foodborne bacterial pathogens and contribute to the prevention of food spoilage. Pinto, Pankowski, and Nano investigated beeswax wrap’s anti-microbial activity against bacteria, fungi, and viruses. Foodborne pathogens are found among each of these groups.[2]

To detect the anti-bacterial activity of beeswax wrap, they incubated the wrap with bacterial cells in a liquid phase. They used Salmonella enteritidis,[9] a gram-negative bacterium, and Staphylococcus aureus, a gram-positive bacterium and common cause of stomach infections. Both bacteria were exposed to beeswax wrap. It was found that incubation with the beeswax wrap led to a decline in the number of cells and bacterial activity.[2]

To detect the anti-yeast activity of beeswax wraps, two strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae were incubated in a liquid phase with the beeswax wrap. A slight decrease in cell count was noted. This decrease was insignificant enough to conclude that beeswax wrap reduces yeast activity. To determine the anti-viral capacity of beeswax wrap, bacteriophages M13 and P1 were incubated in a liquid phase with the beeswax wrap. Results showed a decrease in the number of active phage particles. This decrease was insignificant enough to conclude that beeswax wrap can inactivate viral particles.[2]

Pinto, Pankowski, and Nano concluded that beeswax wrap has anti-bacterial properties. However, they could not conclude that it had anti-fungal or anti-viral properties.[2]

Environmental Impact of Using Beeswax Wrap

Beeswax wraps offer a significant environmental advantage over traditional plastic wrap, but there are some factors to consider for a complete picture of their impact. Here’s a breakdown of the ecological Impact:

Reusable: Unlike single-use plastic wrap, beeswax wraps can be reused for months with proper care. This significantly reduces the amount of waste generated in the kitchen and helps cut down on plastic pollution.

Biodegradable and Compostable: Beeswax wraps can be composted at the end of their lifespan, typically around a year. Unlike plastic, which can persist in the environment for hundreds of years, it will break down naturally into harmless elements.

Reduces Food Waste: Beeswax wraps are breathable, allowing produce to release excess moisture and gasses. This can help extend the shelf life of fruits and vegetables and reduce food waste.

Plastic wrap contributes significantly to plastic pollution in several ways:

Single-use plastic: Plastic wrap is designed to be disposable, used once, and thrown away. This constant stream of waste adds to the ever-growing problem of plastic accumulating in landfills and the environment. Plastic wrap takes years to decompose and leeches the chemicals it contains into the atmosphere and oceans. Global production and consumption of single-use plastic have continued to rise for the past 50 years.

Landfill burden: Unlike biodegradable materials, plastic wrap takes hundreds of years to break down in landfills. This strains landfill capacity and creates a long-term waste management challenge. According to the Ellen McArthur Foundation,[6] 78 million tonnes of plastic were produced in 2013, a 4% increase from 2012, with 40% ending in landfills.

Leakage into the environment: Plastic waste from landfills can escape through wind or improper management, polluting waterways and ecosystems. Over 8 million tonnes of plastic end up in the world’s oceans yearly. Sunlight and the sea’s motions can cause plastic to be broken down into microplastics.[7] Plastic wrap that littered the environment can also break into microplastics over time.

Microplastic pollution: Even when plastic wrap doesn’t enter landfills directly, it can contribute to microplastic pollution. Microplastics are tiny plastic fragments less than 5 millimeters in size. They can come from the breakdown of more oversized plastic items like plastic wrap or microplastic products. Wildlife can ingest these microplastics, disrupt ecosystems, and potentially enter the human food chain.

Production footprint: The manufacturing process for plastic wrap also has environmental consequences. It typically involves fossil fuels and can generate greenhouse gas emissions.

Negative impacts of plastic wrap pollution:

Harm to wildlife: Animals can become entangled in plastic wrap or mistake it for food, leading to injuries, starvation, and death. Seabirds, fish, and marine mammals are particularly vulnerable.

Disrupted ecosystems: Plastic pollution can disrupt entire ecosystems. Sizeable plastic debris can damage coral reefs, and microplastics can harm the growth and reproduction of marine organisms.

In conclusion, plastic wrap’s single-use nature, slow decomposition rate, and potential to contribute to microplastics significantly contribute to plastic pollution. Choosing reusable alternatives like beeswax wraps can help reduce plastic waste and its negative environmental impacts.

Since the beginning of the twenty-first century, the trend towards sustainability has increased awareness of the damage single-use plastic and other unsustainable practices may have on the environment. Companies have become more aware of their environmental impact and have allocated more resources to sustainability. Organizations like Shomaa Designs[8] have emerged that focus on providing sustainable alternatives for plastic.

References

1. https://www.shomaadesigns.com/beeswax-a-natural-wax-used-in-8-products/
2. https://office2.jmbfs.org/index.php/JMBFS/article/view/8654
3. https://www.shomaadesigns.com/circular-economy-our-responsibility/
4. https://doi.org/10.1016%2Fj.jclepro.2018.02.030
5. https://www.ozharvest.org/food-waste-facts/
6. https://www.shomaadesigns.com/
7. https://en.whttps://www.stopfoodlosswaste.org
8. https://www.stopfoodlosswaste.org/

Cover photo from DANIELLE DALY – https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/home/craft-ideas/g25642328/diy-beeswax-reusuable-wraps/