Using of botanical repellent extracts for protection of food packaging

Abstract: Infestation of foodstuffs by storage insects is still an actual problem. Pests may
contaminate food with body fragments or change storage microenvironment so it is suitable for developing of fungi and other microorganisms. As a consequence, for producers pest
infestations pose problems in the form of complaints and thus economic damage. Thus, using
of a reliable packaging is of great importance in protection of durable food from insect pests.
One possibility how to improve protective properties of the packaging is using of repellents.
Traditional synthetic insecticides are associated with the increasing pest resistance and the
formation of undesirable chemical residues in the environment or in treated commodities.
Therefore, we seek for possible use of plant essential and vegetable oils in enhancement of
packaging protection against storage pest insects. One of the goals was to verify the bio-efficacy of the essential oil used on a tertiary packaging. It was found that the oil repels pests from stored food, even when used on a wooden transport pallet, and thus does not come into contact with the food. Another output was the development and testing of a glue with incorporated vegetable oil. In this case, however, the glue had rather attractive effects for pests. Nevertheless, the development of new formulations of plant insecticides and repellents can be expected in the near future.