ORBIS BIOSCIENCES, INC. — Department of Defense SBIR Phase I: Combat ration Intermediate Moisture (IM) products use low pH and water content (aw) to dis

Description

Combat ration Intermediate Moisture (IM) products use low pH and water content (aw) to discourage bacterial growth. The long-term goal of this proposal is to maintain the microbial stability of ration components over a two-year shelf life while increasing the pH and aw values for an improved organoleptic profile. The specific objective of this Phase I application is to develop microspheres for continuous, controlled-release of Nisaplin over a two-year period using Orbis"Precision Particle Fabrication (PPF) microsphere encapsulation technology. The incorporation of this time-released system in addition to a one-time injection during initial packaging would allow for higher pH and aw thresholds, providing a safe, high-quality ration platform with improved palatability. First, uniform, Nisaplin-loaded microspheres with three different diameters will be formulated to characterize in vitro release kinetics. Second, through in vitro release testing, the formulation of Nisaplin-loaded microspheres will be optimized to achieve sustained, two-year Nisaplin release. In the Phase I Option, the controlled-release system will be compared to single-dose delivery. The central hypothesis is that uniform, Nisaplin-loaded PPF microspheres will offer a cost- and dose-effective food preservation system with precisely tailored anti-microbial release characteristics to effectively inhibit gram-positive pathogens over the two year shelf-life of the food product.