Systems and methods for carrier systems for controlled release delivery in fresh produce

Abstract

A delivery system for reducing degradation of perishable goods, the system comprising: one or more compositions, the one or more compositions comprising at least one active compound and at least one inactive compound; and at least one carrier configured to carry the one or more compositions, the at least one carrier comprising a release rate modifying mechanism, wherein the release rate modifying mechanism is configured to adjust the release rate of the one or more compositions.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] (CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS) This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 378,309, filed October 4, 2022, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. [Background technology]

[0002] Various volatile compounds, such as essential oil compounds, are known to have antifungal activity and can help extend the shelf life of fresh produce by inhibiting spoilage. Preventing spoilage over a period of time requires that the compounds be released into the environment in a continuous and predictable manner to maintain a desired concentration of the compound in the gas phase. In addition to volatile compounds with antifungal activity, other volatile compounds, such as 1-MCP, that are utilized in the environment of fresh produce, such as climacteric fruits, can work together to extend the shelf life of fresh produce.

[0003] Therefore, there is a need for a system and method for controlling the release rate of active compounds to extend the shelf life of perishable goods. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.

[0005] The presently disclosed and / or claimed technology generally relates to one or more delivery systems for delivering one or more active compounds to reduce degradation of fresh produce. Preventing fresh produce deterioration over a period of time requires that the one or more active compounds be released in a continuous and predictable manner to maintain a desired concentration of the one or more active compounds in the gas phase within the fresh produce environment.

[0006] The foregoing aspects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will become more readily appreciated as the same become better understood by reference to the following detailed description, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1A] 1 shows exemplary compounds according to the present technology. [Figure 1B] 1B is a graph of the properties of the exemplary compound of FIG. 1A, in accordance with the present technology. [Figure 2A] 1 is an exemplary carrier according to the present technology. [Figure 2B] 1 is an exemplary carrier according to the present technology. [Figure 2C] 1 is an exemplary carrier according to the present technology. [Figure 2D] 1 is an exemplary carrier according to the present technology. [Figure 2E] 1 is an exemplary carrier according to the present technology. [Figure 2F] 1 is an exemplary carrier according to the present technology. [Figure 2G] 1 is an exemplary carrier according to the present technology. [Figure 2H] 1 is an exemplary carrier according to the present technology. [Figure 2I] 1 is an exemplary carrier according to the present technology. [Figure 3] 1 is an exemplary diffusion cell according to the present technique. [Figure 4] 1 is a test fixture in accordance with the present technology. [Figure 5] 1 is a graph illustrating diffusion through an exemplary membrane according to the present technology. [Figure 6] 10 is a graph showing diffusion through another exemplary membrane in accordance with the present technology. [Figure 7] 1 is a graph showing the vapor pressure of a wax carrier according to the present technology. [Figure 8] 1 is a graph showing the vapor pressure of a PP film carrier according to the present technology. [Figure 9]1 shows the evolution of vapor pressure over time measured in the same leaky container according to the present technique. [Figure 10] 1 is an exemplary geometry for a carrier used in a simulation, in accordance with the present technique. [Figure 11] 1 shows the concentration distribution of volatile substances in a solid rectangular-shaped carrier matrix with different diffusivities of the volatile substances inside the matrix according to the present technique. [Figure 12] 12 is a graph of the different release profiles that can be observed in the boxes from the matrix of FIG. 11, according to the present technology. [Figure 13] 1 shows the concentration distribution of volatile substances in rectangular carriers of different sizes according to the present technology. [Figure 14] 14 is a graph of the different release profiles within the boxes from the different size matrices of FIG. 13 according to the present technology. [Figure 15] 1 illustrates the construction of a carrier having a multi-layer configuration according to the present technology. [Figure 16] This technique shows the concentration distribution of volatile substances in carriers with varying diffusivities but the same outer layer thickness. [Figure 17] 17 is a graph of the different release profiles in the boxes from the carriers of FIG. 16 according to the present technology. [Figure 18] 1 shows the concentration distribution of volatile substances in a solid rectangular-shaped carrier matrix according to the present technique. [Figure 19] 19 is a graph of the different release profiles in the boxes from the matrix of FIG. 18 according to the present technology. [Figure 20] 1 shows the concentration distribution of volatile substances in different shapes according to the present technique. [Figure 21] 21 is a graph of the different release profiles from the different shaped matrices of FIG. 20 according to the present technology. [Figure 22] 1 shows the concentration distribution of a volatile substance in a ball-shaped carrier according to the present technology. [Figure 23] 23 is a graph of different release profiles from the ball-shaped carrier of FIG. 22 into a container according to the present technology. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] While illustrative embodiments have been illustrated and described, it will be appreciated that various changes can be made in the present disclosure without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

[0009] Before describing in detail at least one embodiment of the presently disclosed and / or claimed inventive concept(s), it is to be understood that the presently disclosed and / or claimed inventive concept(s) is / are not limited in its application to the details of construction and arrangement of the components or steps or methodology set forth in the following description. The presently disclosed and / or claimed inventive concept(s) is / are capable of other embodiments or of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.

[0010] Unless otherwise defined herein, technical terms used in connection with the inventive concepts of this disclosure and / or claims shall have the meanings commonly understood by those of ordinary skill in the art. Further, unless otherwise required by context, singular terms shall include pluralities and plural terms shall include the singular.

[0011] All patents, published patent applications, and non-patent publications mentioned in this specification are indicative of the level of skill of those skilled in the art to which the inventive concepts disclosed and / or claimed herein pertain. All patents, published patent applications, and non-patent publications referenced in any part of this application are expressly incorporated by reference in their entirety herein to the same extent as if each individual patent or publication was specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference.

[0012] All of the articles and / or methods disclosed herein can be made and executed without undue experimentation in light of the present disclosure. While the articles and methods of the presently disclosed and / or claimed inventive concepts have been described in terms of preferred embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that variations can be applied to the articles and / or methods, and to the steps or arrangement of steps of the methods, described herein without departing from the concept, spirit, and scope of the presently disclosed and / or claimed inventive concepts.

[0013] As utilized in accordance with the present disclosure, the following terms, unless otherwise indicated, shall be understood to have the following meanings:

[0014] The use of the word "a" or "an" when used in conjunction with the term "comprising" can mean "one," but is also consistent with the meanings of "one or more," "at least one," and "one or more." The use of the term "or" is used to mean "and / or" unless expressly indicated to refer to alternatives only when the alternatives are mutually exclusive, although the present disclosure supports the definition referring only to the alternatives "and / or." Throughout this application, the term "about" is used to indicate that a value includes the inherent variation of error for the quantification device, the method used to determine the value, or the variation that exists between study subjects. For example, and not as a limitation, when the term "about" is utilized, the specified value may vary by ±12 percent, or ±11 percent, or ±10 percent, or ±9 percent, or ±8 percent, or ±7 percent, or ±6 percent, or ±5 percent, or ±4 percent, or ±3 percent, or ±2 percent, or ±1 percent. Use of the term "at least one" will be understood to include one, as well as any amount of two or more, including, but not limited to, two, three, four, five, ten, fifteen, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty, one hundred, etc. The term "at least one" may extend to one hundred or one thousand or more, depending on the term with which it is accompanied; in addition, an amount of 100 / 1000 should not be considered limiting, as lower or higher limits may also provide satisfactory results. Additionally, use of the term "at least one of X, Y, and Z" will be understood to include X alone, Y alone, and Z alone, as well as any combination of X, Y, and Z. Use of ordinal terminology (i.e., "first," "second," "third," "fourth," etc.) is solely for the purpose of distinguishing two or more items and is not meant to imply, for example, any sequence or order, or importance of one item relative to another, or any additional order.

[0015] As used herein, the terms "comprising" (and any form including "comprise" and "comprises," etc.), "having" (and any form including "have" and "has," etc.), "including" (and any form including "includes" and "include," etc.), or "containing" (and any form including "contains" and "contain," etc.) are inclusive or open-ended and do not exclude additional, unlisted elements or method steps. As used herein, the term "or combinations thereof" refers to all permutations and combinations of the listed items preceding the term. For example, "A, B, C, or combinations thereof" is intended to include at least one of A, B, C, AB, AC, BC, or ABC, and is also intended to include BA, CA, CB, CBA, BCA, ACB, BAC, or CAB if order is important in a particular context. Continuing with this example, explicitly included are combinations containing one or more repeats of an item or term, such as BB, AAA, AB, BBC, AAABCCCC, CBBAAA, CABABB, etc. Those of ordinary skill in the art will understand that there is typically no limit to the number of items or terms in any combination, unless otherwise clear from the context.

[0016] Postharvest decay of fruits, vegetables, and plants causes significant economic losses. Certain volatile essential oil compounds (also referred to as "bioactive compounds," "compounds," or "formulations") possess bioactive properties that help protect fresh produce from spoilage. When released into the environment in which fresh produce is stored, these bioactive compounds can reduce postharvest losses due to spoilage. Formulations can contain one or more such active compounds that inhibit spoilage by limiting microbial growth. Formulations can also contain compounds with other important functions, such as those that preserve and stabilize active compounds (e.g., antioxidants), compounds that help create desirable aroma profiles, compounds that can modulate ethylene responses, and compounds that stimulate and modulate the produce's natural defense / immune responses. Finally, such ingredients can also be combined with various carriers and controlled-release matrices, such as waxes. These formulations, or composite formulation-carrier combinations, constitute platforms that perform core functions that affect biological responses.

[0017] The present technology generally relates to a delivery system for delivering compositions having one or more active compounds to an environment to reduce degradation of perishable goods. Specifically, one or more delivery systems comprising one or more active compounds, a carrier, and a composition having a release rate modifying mechanism allow the one or more active compounds to be released into the surrounding environment in a controlled and predictable manner.

[0018] One approach for introducing active compounds into an environment is to rely on electromechanical-thermal-fluidic devices that can precisely dispense compounds from a supply reservoir using a variety of delivery, injection, spray / atomization / nebulization or similar techniques.

[0019] Another approach has been to formulate a material composition containing one or more active compounds, so that the delivery system has the bulk characteristics of releasing the active compound slowly and predictably.For example, by mixing one or more active compounds in a diffusion retardation matrix, their release rate can be moderated.For example, a volatile compound dispersed in a matrix with a lower diffusion rate will release slower than a volatile compound dispersed in a matrix with a higher diffusion rate.An example of one or more active compounds dispersed in a diffusion retardation matrix is ​​one or more essential oils with the active compound mixed in a wax carrier.

[0020] In some embodiments, the delivery system comprises one or more compositions, one or more carriers, and one or more release rate modifying mechanisms. In some embodiments, the one or more compositions comprise one or more active compounds. In one embodiment, the one or more compositions have one or more active compounds and one or more inactive compounds. The release rate modifying mechanism can be one or more diffusion barriers, the form of the carrier, the structure of the composition, etc. The release rate modifying mechanism can affect the release rate of one or more compounds into the surrounding environment in a controlled and predictable manner.

[0021] The one or more active compounds of the composition may comprise or consist of a volatile compound, one or more plant immunostimulating compounds, one or more non-volatile compounds, and one or more ethylenically acting compounds, or combinations thereof. The one or more volatile compounds useful in embodiments of the present disclosure include trans-2-hexenal, trans-2-octenal, trans-2-nonenal, trans-2-decenal, trans-2-dodecenal, cuminaldehyde, citronellal, thymol, perillaldehyde, carvacrol, citral, carvone, pulegone, eugenol, bornyl acetate, 1-octanol, terpinen-4-ol, linalool, trans-anethole, trans-cinnamaldehyde, ethyl octanoate, ethyl nonanoate, ethyl decanoate, methyl octanoate, methyl nonanoate, methyl decanoate, fenchol, borneol, camphor, methyl eugenol, menthol, methyl salicylate, methyl anthranilate, phenylethyl acetate, phenylacetic acid, cinnamic acid, acetic ... acetate), γ-octalactone, γ-decalactone, eucalyptol, geranium oil, lavender oil, thyme oil, clove oil, (-)-bornyl acetate, (-)-terpinen-4-ol, (+)-carvone, (±)-citronellal, (R)-(+)-citronellal, (S)-(-)-citronellal, (R)-(+)-pulegone, thymol, 4-isopropylbenzaldehyde (cuminaldehyde), 4-allylanisole, cis-3,7-dimethyl-2,6-octadiene-1- The stereoisomeric isomers of these compounds may include, but are not limited to, citronellol, methyl trans-cinnamate, myrcene, ocimene, terpineol, 1-methyl-3-methoxy-4-isopropylbenzene, menthol, menthone, isomenthone, vanillin, geranyl formate, palmitic acid, (S)-(-)-perillaldehyde, nootkatone, hinokitiol, d-limonene, s-limonene, -cymene, nerolidol, 3-decen-2-one, and other stereoisomers of these compounds, and combinations thereof.In some embodiments, the support material is selected from the group consisting of water, paraffin, petroleum wax, natural wax, beeswax, resin, synthetic polymer, biodegradable natural polymer, ceramic, modified cellulose, methyl cellulose, surfactant, mesoporous silica nanoparticles, microporous alumina, anodized aluminum, activated carbon, zeolite, metal carboxylate, inorganic compound, and combinations thereof.

[0022] In some embodiments, the one or more compositions include one or more scent compounds configured to offset or neutralize the scent of the one or more bioactive compounds, in some embodiments, the one or more scent compounds are one or more furaneols (such as strawberry furanone, maple furanone, or caramel furanone), methyl cinnamate, methyl butyrate, propyl heptanoate, hexyl cinnamate, methyl anthranilate, methyl jasmonate, nonadienal, or a combination of scent compounds.

[0023] Essential oils are understood by those skilled in the art to refer to oils distilled or extracted from plants. Essential oils are not necessarily true oils in the manner of lubricating vegetable oils, but are highly mobile and exceptionally volatile. Essential oils can be complex mixtures of different organic molecules, also known as essential oil components (EOCs), including monoterpenes, diterpenes, sesquiterpenes, or their oxidized forms, terpenoids, alcohols, esters, aldehydes, ketones, phenols, thiols, isothiocyanates, and alkaloids, including but not limited to capsaicinoids. Synthetic oils are typically made from one or more of the primary components within a particular essential oil. For example, menthol is often used as a mint substitute, and eucalyptol is used as a eucalyptus substitute. Furthermore, the chemical composition of essential oils can vary depending on the time of day, the month or season in which the essential oil is harvested, the environmental conditions leading up to and including essential oil harvest, the means used to extract the essential oil, and, for synthetic oils, the chemical composition can vary from batch to batch. Environmental conditions leading up to and including essential oil harvest include, but are not limited to, drought, excessive precipitation, and the like.

[0024] Both synthetic and naturally occurring essential oils can be used for fragrance, medicinal, antiseptic, solvent, and insecticidal purposes. For example, essential oils such as methyl salicylate or thymol can be impregnated into water-insoluble resins and used to diffuse fragrant or medicinal vapors into rooms. Typical essential oils are derived from thyme, lemongrass, citrus, anise, clove, aniseed, rose, lavender, citronella, eucalyptus, peppermint, camphor, sandalwood, cinnamon, cedar, almond, grape, walnut, jojoba, olive, and the like. In some embodiments, essential oils can also be derived from nuts or seeds. Essential oils are generally liquid at room temperature (20°C to 25°C). Essential oils suitable for the present disclosure are typically commercially available and are preferably refined. One or more essential oil components may be present in each essential oil.

[0025] The one or more plant immunostimulatory compounds may include, but are not limited to, pinene, camphene, terpinene, terpineol, chitosan, methyl jasmonate, methyl salicylate, ethyl salicylate, methylcinnamate, β-aminobutyric acid, fructans (inulin, levan), ethylene, harpin protein, jasmonic acid, etc. The one or more plant immunostimulatory compounds refer to compounds that do not directly affect disease-causing organisms or alter the DNA of the treated fresh produce, but instead activate natural defense mechanisms in the fresh produce. Those skilled in the art will understand that plant immunostimulatory compounds may also be known as plant activators.

[0026] Examples of the one or more non-volatile compounds may include, but are not limited to, curcumin, chitosan, phytoalexins, phytoanticipins, one or more preservatives, and one or more antioxidants, including but not limited to vitamin E, vitamin A, vitamin C, UV protectants such as beta-carotene, butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), or titanium dioxide. The one or more non-volatile compounds may have a bactericidal effect, an immunostimulatory effect, and / or prevent or slow the oxidation process in fresh produce. A bactericidal effect may reduce the infectivity of microorganisms, such as bacteria or fungi, that can have a spoilage effect on fresh produce. In one embodiment, a composition comprising a protective coating, one or more volatile compounds, and one or more non-volatile compounds may create a synergistic effect of increased reduction in fresh produce loss compared to the fresh produce loss of each of the individual components. In another embodiment, a lower concentration of one or more volatile compounds and one or more non-volatile compounds in the protective coating composition may achieve a desired biological result more quickly than a higher concentration of one or more volatile compounds and one or more non-volatile compounds not in the protective coating composition. In another embodiment, the addition of one or more antioxidants and / or one or more preservatives in the delivery system may help to maintain the effectiveness of the bioactive compound of the composition.

[0027] One or more ethylene-acting compounds useful in the presently disclosed and claimed inventive concepts may include, but are not limited to, norbornadiene, resveratrol, sodium permanganate, potassium permanganate, vanillin, activated charcoal, and 1-methylcyclopropene. The term "one or more ethylene-acting compounds" refers to ethylene absorbing / adsorbing or decomposing compounds, as well as compounds that remove free ethylene from the environment, reduce ethylene production, or reduce sensitivity to ethylene in fresh produce. An example of a volatile ethylene antagonist is 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP). 1-MCP binds to multiple ethylene receptors in agricultural produce and blocks ethylene recognition by the multiple ethylene receptors. Blocking ethylene recognition by multiple ethylene receptors in fresh produce tends to reduce the effects of ethylene, which triggers the ripening response of fresh produce. Blocking multiple ethylene receptors in fresh produce also reduces the autocatalytic production of ethylene. 1-MCP can reduce ethylene production and desensitize fresh produce to ethylene. Additionally, the ethylene acting compound can be an ethylene absorbent, such as activated carbon, or an ethylene decomposer, such as potassium permanganate.

[0028] In some embodiments, the one or more delivery systems comprise one or more compositions having one or more active compounds and a carrier. The carrier can be in a solid, semi-solid, liquid, or gaseous state. The carrier can act as a medium to stabilize / retain the one or more active compounds and / or a diffusion retardant to regulate the release rate of the one or more active compounds from the carrier into the environment. The carrier can be selected from the group consisting of water, paraffin, petroleum-derived wax, beeswax, plant-derived wax, resin, synthetic polymer, biodegradable natural polymer, oil, ceramic compound, one or more inorganic compounds, macrocyclic compounds such as cyclodextrin, surfactant, clay, fiber, fiber-like material, paper, and metal-organic framework (MOF). Macrocyclic compounds include cyclodextrin and other similar compounds with cage-like structures. The biodegradable natural polymer can be derived from natural plant or animal materials, ceramic, or inorganic compounds.In some embodiments, the carrier is paraffin, wax, natural rubber, synthetic rubber, shellac, modified cellulose, cellulose composites, semi-permeable plastics, such as, but not limited to, polyisoprene, polybutadiene, nylon (polyamide), polyurethane, low-density polyethylene (LPDE), high-density polyethylene (HDPE), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polystyrene (PS), polylactic acid (PLA), polycarbonate (PC), polypropylene (PP), polycaprolactone (PCL), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH), polyvinyl acetate (PVAc), polyacrylic acid (PAA), polyethylene oxide (polyethylene The semi-permeable plastic may be made from a polyethylene terephthalate (PEO), perforated plastic film, perforated or patterned metallized plastic film (the non-metallized portion is permeable to the active compound), sponge, porous material, and combinations, mixtures, blends, or composites thereof. In some embodiments, the semi-permeable plastic may take any number of forms, including films, granules, pellets, etc.

[0029] In some embodiments, the carrier may have any number of structures. In some embodiments, the structure may be a wax, crystalline, resin, or oleogel structure. For example, when the carrier is a wax or oil structure, it may be formed from animal waxes (natural mixtures of wax esters and sterol esters such as beeswax or lanolin), vegetable waxes (natural mixtures of alkanes, wax esters, fatty acids, fatty alcohols, and phytosterols such as carnauba wax, candelilla wax, bayberry wax, and soybean wax), natural / vegetable oils (mixtures of natural triglycerides or modified natural triglycerides such as canola oil, grapeseed oil, avocado oil, walnut oil, coconut oil, soybean oil, palm oil, and hydrogenated oils), petroleum-based oils and waxes (mixtures of alkanes such as paraffin oil, paraffin wax, and microcrystalline wax), and combinations thereof. In some embodiments, when the carrier has a crystalline structure, it may be composed of fatty acids (such as lauric acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, and oleic acid), fatty acid salts (such as sodium palmitate, potassium palmitate, sodium stearate, and calcium stearate), fatty alcohols (such as cetyl alcohol and cetearyl alcohol), and combinations thereof. In resinous structures, the carrier may be formed from natural resins or rosins, modified resins, and mixtures of resin acids such as pine resin or rosin, mastic rosin, and dammar rosin, hydrogenated pine rosin, glycerol esters of pine rosin, and mixtures thereof. In examples where the carrier has an oleogel structure, the carrier may include a combination of waxes, oils, crystals, and / or resins that form solids, gels, creams, or viscous liquids. In some embodiments, the ratio of the components adjusts the mechanical properties of the carrier.

[0030] In some embodiments, the carrier may have a hydrogel or gum structure, a plastic structure, or a porous solid structure. In hydrogel or gum structures, the carrier may include collagen / gelatin, silk, gluten, zein, casein, keratin (such as wool), soy protein, pea protein, sunflower protein, polysaccharides such as cellulose, modified cellulose (such as methylcellulose, ethylcellulose, hydroxypropylmethylcellulose), pectin, chitosan, chitin, alginate, starch, carrageenan, agar, shellac, hyaluronic acid, gums including xanthan gum, gum arabic, guar gum, locust bean gum, mastic, gellan gum, spruce gum, and combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the plastic structure may include natural rubber, synthetic rubber, semi-permeable plastics such as, but not limited to, polyisoprene, polybutadiene, nylon (polyamide), polyurethane, low density polyethylene (LPDE), high density polyethylene (HDPE), perforated plastic film, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polystyrene (PS), polylactic acid (PLA), polycarbonate (PC), polypropylene (PP), polycaprolactone (PCL), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH), polyvinyl acetate (PVAc), polyacrylic acid (PAA), polyethylene oxide (PEO), perforated or patterned metallized plastic film (the non-metallized portions are permeable to the active compound), sponge, porous material, and combinations thereof.

[0031] In the porous solid structure, the carrier may include activated carbon, porous oxides (silica, alumina, titania), porous concrete mixtures, zeolites, clays such as bentonite and montmorillonite, paper, cellulose sponge, felt such as cellulose felt, cork, glass fiber paper, sponges such as PP sponge and PE sponge, and combinations thereof.

[0032] In some embodiments, the carrier comprises a solvent or diluent such as ethanol, glycerol, water, aqueous salt solutions, e.g., sodium chloride, potassium chloride, calcium chloride, magnesium chloride, calcium carbonate, and the like, and mixtures thereof. In some embodiments, the carrier comprises an emulsifier or humectant. In some embodiments, the emulsifier or humectant is a fatty acid (e.g., lauric acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, oleic acid, etc.), a fatty acid salt (e.g., sodium palmitate, potassium palmitate, sodium stearate, calcium stearate, etc.), a fatty alcohol (e.g., cetyl alcohol, cetearyl alcohol), a monoglyceride (e.g., glycerol monostearate, glycerol monopalmitate), a diglyceride (e.g., glycerol distearate, glycerol dipalmitate), a lecithin / phospholipid (e.g., egg lecithin, soybean lecithin, or sunflower lecithin), or a soluble or unsoluble ... cinnamate), sterols (phytosterols, cholesterol, etc.), sorbitan (sorbitan laurate, sorbitan stearate, etc.), polysorbates (polyoxyethylene sorbitan laurate, polyoxyethylene sorbitan stearate, etc.), polyethylene ethers (polyethylene lauryl ether, polyethylene cetyl ether, etc.), sulfate surfactants (sodium octyl sulfate, sodium dodecyl sulfate, etc.), quaternary ammonium surfactants (cetrimonium chloride, behentrimonium chloride), and combinations thereof.

[0033] In some embodiments, one or more active compounds of the composition are released from the carrier into the environment through two mechanisms: In one mechanism, if the chemical structure of one or more compounds making up the carrier is modified, the one or more active compounds can be released into the environment by diffusion from the carrier of the delivery system.

[0034] Modifying the chemical structure of one or more compounds of the carrier can include, but are not limited to, modifying the degree of cross-linking found in the structure of one or more compounds' chemical structure, the ratio of hydrophobic region to hydrophilic region of the compound that makes up the carrier, the degree of charge of one or more compounds' chemical structure, and the ratio of low molecular weight component to high molecular weight component of one or more compounds that make up the carrier.Modification of the chemical structure of one or more compounds of the carrier can cause different diffusion rates of active compounds through the carrier.Modification of the chemical structure of one or more compounds of the carrier can also change the physical state of the carrier from a semi-solid state to a solid state.Generally, when the carrier is in a semi-solid state, the carrier has a lower density and a higher permeability to active compounds.In contrast, when the carrier is in a solid state, the carrier has a higher density and a lower diffusion (also referred to as permeability or release rate).

[0035] FIG. 1A shows an exemplary compound prepared according to the present technology. As can be seen in FIG. 1A, for example, when the polymer backbone branching structure of the carrier compound is modified, the physical properties can be dramatically affected. For example, low-density polyethylene (LDPE) versus high-density polyethylene (HDPE). Although both monomer building blocks are composed of ethylene, the resulting LDPE and HDPE have different branching structures. HDPE is made up of mostly linear chains, which are tightly packed within the carrier. This packing of HDPE allows the carrier to have a higher density and higher crystallinity. In contrast, LDPE has a high degree of branching, which means it is less tightly packed within the carrier. The packing of LDPE allows the carrier to have a lower density and lower crystallinity. When the carrier includes HDPE and / or LDPE, the underlying structural features play a role in the significant differences between the mechanical and transport properties of the HDPE and LDPE carriers, including the release rate of one or more active compounds from the carrier to the environment.

[0036] FIG. 1B is a graph of the properties of the exemplary compound of FIG. 1A in accordance with the present technology. The horizontal axis is water vapor transmissibility. The vertical axis is oxygen transmissibility. The shaded area represents the optimal oxygen transmissibility. Various compounds are shown on the graph, including biaxially oriented polypropylene (BOPP), polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH), nylon, and polystyrene (PS). LDPE and HDPE, as shown in FIG. 1A, are also graphed and circled for emphasis.

[0037] 2A-2I illustrate an exemplary carrier 100 in accordance with the present technology. In some embodiments, carrier 100 can be a single material, made from a blend of materials, have a homogeneous microstructure (such as a wax), or have a heterogeneous structure such as a porous matrix. In some embodiments, carrier 100 can include materials with different compounds. In some embodiments, carrier 100 can be shaped as beads or spheres, ellipsoids, ovals, chunks, small pancake-like shapes, short rods / cylinders, irregularly shaped granules, flat films, thick flat layers, thick layers with patterned surfaces (such as honeycomb shapes), or powders dispersed in another matrix (e.g., fine powders or small granules containing an active compound mixed as inclusions in wax or paraffin, where the resulting inclusion-bearing wax is shaped into the physical embodiments described herein). In some embodiments, one or more bioactive compounds or second granules 110B are dispersed in carrier bulk material 101. In some embodiments, the granules 110A, 110B may be dispersed purely as granules 110A, 110B of one or more bioactive compounds, as inclusions containing granules 110A, 110B (such as inclusion 105 in FIG. 2B ), or as compounds homogeneously mixed with the carrier bulk material 101. In this last case, there may not be clearly discernible granules (e.g., droplets) of compound 110 within 100, but a mixture of 101 and 110 may be present within inclusion 105. As described herein, inclusion 105 may be anything added to carrier 100 or carrier bulk material 101. In some embodiments, inclusion 105 may be granules, vesicles, beads, flakes, fibers, solid droplets, gel droplets, or liquids of any shape or size. The size scale of the individual particles, the thickness of one or more layers, and the pitch and depth of the pattern in the case of a patterned surface, may range or length scale from 1 micrometer to 10 centimeters. The pattern may be generally regular, such as, but not limited to, a honeycomb or a regular array of depressions, or irregular, such as, but not limited to, multiple dimples of different sizes on a surface or irregular depressions.The materials described herein, their overall geometry and topology, may have additional underlying structures, such as the porosity of bulk materials. They may also have a hierarchy of inter-contained geometries and topologies. For example, the carrier material 101, or another carrier material different from the bulk material forming the carrier 100, may be fabricated into small inclusions 105 of a specific size range (and loaded with several bioactive compounds 110), as shown in FIG. 2B. These granules may be porous or non-porous. These inclusions 105 may then be dispersed in another layer of the carrier 100 that is thicker than the size scale of the inclusions 105, such as a layer of wax that may also contain an active compound. This material fabricated from the inclusions 105 can be dispersed in a continuous, homogeneous or porous carrier matrix (bulk material 101) that can be molded into a slab, the surface of which can be patterned to have a honeycomb structure with a specific pitch and depth, or a range of such pitch and depth values, to create the carrier 100, as shown in FIG. 2A. Finally, the bioactive compound 110 can be uniformly or non-uniformly distributed in the inclusions 105, or uniformly or non-uniformly distributed in the carrier material 101. In some embodiments, the bulk carrier material 101 is the primary material from which the carrier is made, even though it may have additional compounds, granules, or inclusions, such as wax, porous paper, etc. The bulk material itself may be homogeneous, like wax, or porous, like paper, or have other microstructures within it.

[0038] One or more diffusion barriers (or layers) 115 may be applied to the composition / carrier 100 to slow the overall release rate of the one or more active compounds 110 into the environment adjacent to the perishable goods, as shown in FIG. 2C. In some embodiments, the one or more diffusion barriers 115 are laminated diffusion barriers. In some embodiments, the one or more diffusion barriers 115 are one or more physically distinct layers, such as a film or membrane, that can form a pouch or sachet. In the case of a sachet, the function of the one or more diffusion barriers 115 is not necessarily a "diffusion barrier," but rather a physical enclosure that is sufficiently permeable to the active compounds 110 so that the loose material containing the compounds 110 inside the sachet remains within.

[0039] In some embodiments, one or more active compounds 110 are dispersed in the carrier bulk material 101. In some embodiments, the one or more active compounds 110 may be dispersed purely as granules of one or more bioactive compounds 110 (as shown in FIG. 2C), as inclusions in other granules containing granules of one or more active compounds 110A, 110B (such as inclusions in inclusions 105 in FIG. 2B), or as one or more active compounds 110 homogeneously mixed with the carrier bulk material 101. In this last case, there may not be clearly discernible granules (e.g., droplets) of compound 110 in 100, but a mixture of bulk carrier material 101 and one or more active compounds 110 may be present inside inclusions (granules) 105. The permeability of one or more diffusion layers 115 may be affected by the material(s) comprised by one or more diffusion barriers 115 and / or the thickness of one or more diffusion barriers 115. In one embodiment, the permeability of the diffusion barrier 115 may be altered in response to changes in temperature and humidity. In some embodiments, any or all of the layers described herein may be altered in response to triggers such as temperature and / or humidity. Similarly, oil droplets having one or more active compounds 110 may be suspended in an environment-dependent carrier 100, such as a polymer matrix. For example, in another embodiment, one or more diffusion barriers 115 may be positioned adjacent to one or more carriers 100 containing one or more compositions having active compounds 110 to modify the release rate of the compositions into the environment of the fresh produce. In another embodiment, one or more diffusion barriers 115 may contain a second or third composition having one or more active compounds. The one or more diffusion barriers containing the second or third composition having one or more active compounds may slow the release rate of the one or more active compounds and / or the second or third active compounds into the environment adjacent to the fresh produce.

[0040] In some embodiments, carrier 100 includes first-size granules 110A, second-size granules 110B, and a diffusion barrier 115, as shown in FIG. 2D . In some embodiments, the size of each granule changes the surface-to-volume ratio of each type of active compound, thereby modifying the release rate of one or more active compounds 110A, 110B. In some embodiments, first granules 110A and second granules 110B contain the same active compound, while in other embodiments, first granules 110A contain a first active compound and second granules 110B contain a second active compound. All other conditions inside the carrier (or sachet) are the same (including one or more active compounds), the smaller second-size granules 110B release their payload of one or more active compounds 110B on a faster timescale, while the larger first-size granules 110A release their payload of one or more active compounds 110B on a slower (or longer) timescale. The net effect is a combination of both shorter and longer time scales.

[0041] In some embodiments, carrier 100 includes one or more layers, as shown in FIG. 2E. In some embodiments, the granule in FIG. 2E may be one of multiple granules embedded or otherwise dispersed within carrier 100. In some embodiments, carrier granule 100 includes one or more active compounds 110, a diffusion barrier 115, and a triggered release layer 125. In some embodiments, diffusion barrier 115 regulates the release of one or more active compounds 110. In some embodiments, triggered release layer 125 triggers the release of one or more active compounds 110 upon interaction with humidity, moisture, a certain temperature, etc. In some embodiments, triggered release layer 125 is an impermeable barrier that triggers the release of one or more active compounds 110 upon physical removal, such as by peeling. In this embodiment, impermeable triggered release layer 125 may include an additional layer, such as a thin layer of adhesive, to help adhere it to adjacent layers.

[0042] In some cases, the released bioactive compounds 110 can form weak, reversible covalent bonds with some of the compounds comprising the carrier bulk material 101, compounds present in or added to the carrier bulk material 101, or other compounds contained in any part of the carrier 100. This includes any components or other layers that may be included in the carrier 100 shown in FIG. 2E. In this way, the carrier 100 can function as a storage capacitor for the active compounds 110, to which the active compounds 110 are covalently attached, making them less mobile and less volatile. By selecting the type of chemistry involved in the attachment of the bioactives 110, the reverse reaction that breaks these covalent bonds (thereby freeing and releasing the bioactives) can be fine-tuned. One example of such a system is based on the weak covalent bonds found in a vast group of compounds called "Schiff bases," characterized by the presence of a double bond connecting a carbon atom and a nitrogen atom. Schiff bases can be created by forming a bond between a primary amine and an aldehyde or ketone functional group. Another example of such a system is based on the covalent bond found in a vast group of compounds called "esters," characterized by the presence of a bond connecting a carbon atom and an oxygen atom. Esters can be created by forming a bond between an alcohol and a carboxylic acid to immobilize a volatile compound that may have either of these moieties involved in an esterification reaction. Upon interaction with water, the ester bond can hydrolyze, releasing one or both of the compounds that formed the ester bond. In some cases, the covalent bond formed when attaching an active compound to another compound to form a Schiff base or ester can be made to respond to various environmental stimuli. For example, the rate at which the covalent bond breaks can increase with humidity, acidity, alkalinity, temperature, or light exposure. This makes it possible to design "smart delivery systems" that respond to conditions in a desired way. For example, in the case of both Schiff bases and esters, the hydrolysis rate that breaks these covalent bonds increases with the action of an "activator," thereby freeing the active compound to become more mobile and volatile.The activator may include moisture, acid, alkali, or some combination thereof. The acid activator compound may be acetic acid, citric acid, ascorbic acid, or any other acid, or a combination thereof. The alkali activator compound may be sodium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate, or any other alkali, or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, such covalently bonded active compounds may be placed in proximity to the acid activator or alkali activator so that they are initially unable to react with each other. For example, they may be placed in different compartments physically separated from each other, such as in a multi-compartment blister pack or glow stick. The separator may be mechanically broken to allow mixing of the compounds and hydrolysis of the covalent bonds. This action can be used to activate the system and initiate release of the active compounds on demand by the user or during manufacturing. In another embodiment, the active compound and activator may be dispersed in a continuous matrix (bulk material 101) as individual solid granules or liquid or gel droplets that remain without physical contact with each other. In some embodiments, the activator granules dispersed within the bulk material 101 may be solid granules of citric acid or any other acid. In some embodiments, these solid granules are crystalline. Upon introduction of moisture into the use environment, the activator begins to dissolve in the matrix and can diffuse through the matrix to reach and hydrolyze the covalent bond, releasing the bioactive compound. The moisture required for activation can be obtained passively from the use environment in the presence of fresh produce, or can be accomplished on demand, for example, by misting or spraying water onto the embodiment to activate it. This can be done by the user or during manufacturing in the packaging step. In another embodiment, an active compound that covalently bonds to another compound to form an ester or Schiff base is included in its vicinity without an activator. An activator, such as a citric acid solution, can be misted or sprayed onto the embodiment by the user or during manufacturing to activate it and initiate release of the bioactive compound.

[0043] In another embodiment, the release rate modifying mechanism may be based on the structure of the composition and the morphology of the carrier 100. The structure of the composition may include macroscopic, mesoscopic, and microscopic geometries, such as beads or inclusions 105 of various sizes, small pellets with specific sizes and aspect ratios, honeycomb structures (as shown in FIG. 2A), and other multi-layered configurations of the composition. The morphology of the carrier 100 and any one of its components may also include, for example, various amounts of porosity. The macroscopic, mesoscopic, and microscopic geometries of the structure of the composition and the morphology of the carrier 100 may affect the transfer and release rate of the composition into the environment of the perishable goods. In one embodiment, the amount of one or more active compounds 110 in the composition and the structure of the composition affect the release rate of the composition into the environment of one or more perishable goods. In another embodiment, the release rate of one or more active compounds 110 may be affected by the ratio of the amount of active compounds 110 in the composition to the volume of the composition, based on the structure of the composition and the morphology of the carrier 100. For example, the porosity of the carrier 100 may affect the transport of the composition within a delivery system. In another embodiment, the structure of the composition and / or the form of the carrier 100 may be combined into one delivery system to achieve very complex release profiles. For example, a delivery system including one or more compositions including one or more active ingredients 110 and one or more carriers 100 may be formed into one or more shapes suitable for releasing the composition into the fresh commodity environment at a rapid release rate, while a delivery system including one or more compositions with one or more carriers 100 formed into one or more shapes may release the composition 110 into the fresh commodity environment at a slower release rate.

[0044] In one embodiment, the morphology of the carrier 100 can be porous. Examples of porous carriers include, but are not limited to, mesoporous silica, anodized aluminum, sponges, foams, cellulosic matrices such as paper or cardboard, and various polymers. The porous carrier 100 can vary in its porosity, pore size distribution, tortuosity, and transport characteristics of the one or more components of the delivery system. In one embodiment, the one or more compositions 110 can be positioned within one or more pores of the porous structure. These pores can be microscopic and present throughout the entire component of the carrier 100 and are therefore not shown for simplicity. Specifically, the one or more pores can be located within the carrier bulk material 101, rather than just a surface pattern. One skilled in the art will understand that in some embodiments, the one or more pores are similar to the pores in a sponge or the pores (microscopic physical gaps) in a compressed piece of cellulose (paper-like). In some embodiments, the porous material (i.e., bulk carrier material 101) can be further patterned to create the surface topology 120 of FIG. 2B . By way of example, and not limitation, one or more compositions 110 combined with a carrier 100 comprising beeswax can be positioned within one or more pores of the carrier 100 comprising a mesoporous material, or within the voids of a surface pattern 120. In some embodiments, the one or more compositions filling the pores of 100 or pattern 120 can be selected from one or more essential oils or blends of essential oils, one or more liquid compositions comprising an active compound and a liquid solvent, such as an oil in a liquid carrier, or a liquid emulsion of vesicles as described herein, a gel or other wax composition comprising an active compound and another carrier, or other solid composition having an active compound that can be impregnated into the pores while in a liquid state. In some embodiments, the solid composition is liquid at elevated temperatures or in a solution made with a highly volatile solvent, such as ethanol; after filling the pores, the solvent evaporates, leaving a dry composition in the pores within the carrier 100 or surface pattern 120.

[0045] In another embodiment, the microscopic morphology of the carrier material 101 or any portion of the carrier 100 may be microporous. One or more active compounds are released into the environment through the carrier's microporous structure ("pores") or through voids defined by the surface pattern 120. The pores or voids may have space free of any material or may contain one or more other materials, including one or more active compounds in any physical state. In one embodiment, the pore or void 120 may be a single pore, i.e., a single pore surrounded by the carrier 100 on all sides. In another embodiment, the pore or void 120 may be two or more, i.e., two or more pores may be surrounded by the carrier 100. In another embodiment, the pore network may be physically connected to provide one or more pore pathways positioned within the carrier 100. In one embodiment, the one or more pore pathways may be positioned adjacent to the environment surrounding the perishable product. Examples of carriers 100 with a microporous structure include, but are not limited to, mesoporous silica nanoparticles, microporous alumina, and anodized aluminum with an anodized layer. Mesoporous silica nanoparticles have unique properties, such as a regular arrangement of pores and biocompatibility, and can be used as a controlled-release mechanism. Mesoporous silica nanoparticles can be incorporated into other matrices, such as packaging and wax, to further influence the controlled-release characteristics. The characteristics of the pores or surface voids 120 in these materials can be controlled to achieve desired controlled-release characteristics. One or more surfaces of mesoporous silica particle carriers and microporous alumina carriers can also be chemically modified to change their hydrophilicity or hydrophobicity, or to directly retain compounds by chemically attaching cyclodextrins to the compounds. In one embodiment, the carrier can be modified by a molecular nanoimprinting process, which imprints molecules into a resin and then hardens the compound, resulting in molecular-specific surface voids defined by the pattern 120 of the carrier 100.

[0046] In another embodiment, the structure of the composition may have a particle configuration (such as inclusions 105) such as a powder, granules, etc., as shown in FIG. 2B. The multiple particle configurations may be modified into a desired macroscopic shape such as a tablet, ball, disc, etc. In one embodiment, the microstructure of the macroscopic shape may be optimized to achieve a specific level of porosity between the powder / granules. The macroscopic shape may be further optimized to achieve a different surface-to-volume ratio. The process of forming the macroscopic shape determines the surface-to-volume ratio of the individual particle configurations as well as the macroscopic shape of the multiple particle configurations. In another embodiment, the multiple particle configurations may also be formed into a macroscopic shape with one or more pores or various surface patterns 120.

[0047] In some embodiments, one or more pores or surface voids 120 of a macroscopically shaped carrier 100, such as that shown in FIG. 2F, may be impregnated or backfilled with a substance 115, such as a resin, hydrogel, or viscous liquid. The substance 115 may function as a barrier (such as a diffusion barrier as described herein) that affects the release rate of one or more active compounds 110 from one or more patterned voids 120 of the macroscopically shaped carrier 100. In another embodiment, one or more patterns 120 may be inert and function as a scaffold, as shown in FIG. 2B. The one or more patterns that function as a scaffold may have a diffusion retardation matrix positioned within the one or more patterns. In one embodiment, the one or more compositions may be comprised of multiple bead particles of different sizes. A multiple bead particle configuration with a smaller size has a higher surface-to-volume ratio. A multiple bead particle configuration with a smaller size has a faster release rate for releasing one or more active compounds to reach a target gas concentration. A multiple bead particle configuration with a smaller size dispenses one or more compositions at a faster rate. A multi-bead particle configuration with a larger size, and therefore a smaller surface-to-volume ratio, may maintain the target concentration for a longer period of time. In another embodiment, the multi-bead particle configuration may be coated with one or more diffusion barriers. The one or more diffusion barriers may slow the release rate. In some embodiments, the multi-beads may range in size from 1 micron to 1 centimeter in diameter. It should be understood that if the carrier is an irregularly shaped granule, this diameter refers to the diameter of a sphere of similar size. In some embodiments, the thickness of the carrier may range from 1 micron to 1 centimeter.

[0048] In another embodiment, one or more active compounds may be impregnated into packaging materials such as plastic, trays, bags, etc. One or more compositions may be coated on the surface of the object that is positioned adjacent to fresh produce. Examples of the object may be trays, cartons, etc.

[0049] In another embodiment, one or more compositions having one or more active compounds can be positioned within a carrier comprising a moldable material. The carrier can be a wax, a paste-like material, a porous structure, or a microemulsion dispersed in a gel-like substance, etc. The carrier can be formed into various shapes that define a range of surface-to-volume (S / V) ratios. The surface-to-volume ratio of the carrier form can also affect the rate of release of one or more active compounds. The distance (d) that one or more active compounds must travel from a first location within the carrier to the surface of the carrier can also affect the release rate of one or more compositions. For example, but by no means limiting, a spherical particle configuration can have a radius d. As a general rule, the total surface area of ​​the particle configuration is approximately d 2 while the volume of the particle configuration is approximately d 3 Even if the basic shape is the same (e.g., bead, spheroid, etc.), the smaller the radius, the higher the surface-to-volume ratio of the particle configuration. Therefore, the release rate of one or more active compounds from smaller particle configurations is faster than the release rate from larger particle configurations. Therefore, if one or more active compounds need to be released more quickly into the environment adjacent to fresh goods, a physical embodiment with a high S / V ratio may be preferred. Conversely, if one or more active compounds need to be released more slowly into the environment adjacent to fresh goods, a physical embodiment with a low S / V ratio may be preferred. For example, a delivery system having a carrier containing a wax having a thin sheet morphology will have a faster release rate of one or more active compounds than a delivery system having a carrier containing a wax having a thicker disk-shaped morphology. To achieve an even higher surface-to-volume ratio, the surface-to-volume ratio can be increased by morphing the carrier as a honeycomb, dimpled carrier, ribbed carrier, finned carrier, or similar three-dimensional carrier. In contrast, if a slower release rate is desired, the same amount of one or more active compounds can be provided with a carrier formed into a shape with a smaller surface-to-volume ratio, such as a large sphere, cylinder, etc. In some embodiments, when the carrier has a diameter in the range of 1 micron to 1 centimeter, the S / V ratio ranges from 6000 to 0.6 1 / mm.

[0050] In another embodiment, the surface-to-volume ratio can be determined by varying the size of the particle configuration. For example, a sphere with a single particle having a diameter of 1 centimeter can have a total volume of approximately 0.5 milliliters. If the spherical particle configuration has a diameter of 1 millimeter, the 1 centimeter sphere contains the same total amount of material as 1,000 1-millimeter diameter beads, increasing the total surface area by 10 times compared to a 1-centimeter spherical particle configuration. Simply varying the particle size changes the relative surface area by the same ratio for a given total amount of material. Thus, the same amount of composition divided into multiple particle configurations will release the active compound faster than the same amount of a single particle configuration. In another example, a 1-gram composition is disclosed having 0.1 grams of one or more active compounds dispersed in 0.9 grams (g) of a carrier, such as a diffusion-retardant matrix like wax. When a delivery system is formed into a single spherical particle configuration, the particle configuration has a slower release rate than when the delivery system is formed into multiple smaller spherical particle configurations.

[0051] In another embodiment, the amount of one or more active compounds released into the environment adjacent to the fresh produce can be modified by varying the amount of one or more active compounds by changing the structure of the composition and / or the morphology of the carrier. In one example, in an environment with a "large headspace volume" adjacent to the fresh produce requiring a higher release rate of one or more active compounds, a delivery system with a surface-to-volume ratio of 6000 to 0.6 1 / mm can be used. An example would be a multi-spherical particle configuration with a diameter of 1 millimeter and a surface-to-volume ratio of 6 1 / mm. In another embodiment, if the environment adjacent to the fresh produce has a "smaller headspace volume" requiring a lower release rate, a multi-spherical particle configuration with a larger diameter can be positioned within the environment adjacent to the fresh produce.

[0052] In another embodiment, the carrier may have the form of one or more layers with one or more compositions. The carrier 100 may have multiple layers, as shown in Figures 2G-2I. In one embodiment, the multiple layers are positioned between one or more diffusion barriers 115, thereby slowing the release rate of the one or more active compounds 110. In some embodiments, the carrier 100 may include a substrate 130, a bulk carrier material 101, a diffusion barrier 115, and a triggered release layer 125. In some embodiments, the one or more active compounds may be present in any of the layers shown or described herein. In some embodiments, the triggered release layer 125 is triggered in response to humidity, temperature, or the like. In another embodiment, a carrier 100 with multiple layers (as shown in Figures 2G-2I) may also have a pulsed release rate. By positioning the bioactive compound 110 adjacent to one or more diffusion barriers 115A, 115B, a high concentration of the one or more active compounds may be released over a shorter period of time. In some embodiments, alternating layers of diffusion barriers 115A, 115B and / or bioactive compounds 110 can release high concentrations of one or more active compounds 110 into the environment adjacent to the fresh goods over a predetermined time interval. In some embodiments, this is achieved by including multiple S / V ratios made from the same components, using different components in 100 for different compounds 110, and then using multiple of these different versions of carrier 100, or a combination thereof. In one embodiment, a delivery system (or carrier) 100 having multiple layers may release pulses of high concentrations of one or more active compounds, followed by an extended period of time during which high concentrations of one or more active compounds are not or are not released to a significant extent.

[0053] In some embodiments, porous pathways may be included throughout the carrier 100. For example, in some embodiments, the entire carrier 100 may be porous to varying degrees. This orientation effectively provides a continuous pathway from the interior to the exterior of the bulk material in an open pore structure. The open pore structure provides a medium with transport / permeability properties that differ from a delivery system comprising one or more active compounds and the carrier alone. For example, if the pores of an open pore structure are left "empty" and simply filled with gas (e.g., ambient gas and / or gas displaced from the continuous phase), the pores may provide a fast diffusion pathway, thereby increasing the apparent bulk diffusivity.

[0054] In another embodiment, the carrier of one or more delivery systems further comprises one or more additive compounds. The one or more additive compounds act to modify the physico-chemical behavior of the one or more active compounds, thereby regulating the release rate of the one or more active compounds into the environment. The one or more additive compounds may be selected from the group consisting of, but not limited to, macrocyclic compounds such as cyclodextrins, urea, surfactants, antioxidants such as vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, beta-carotene, polymers such as poly(N-isopropylacrylamide), and ionic elements or compounds such as sodium chloride, calcium chloride, calcium carbonate, and ammonium carbonate. For example, a macrocyclic compound may be combined with the carrier. Macrocyclic compounds include a family of compounds with cage-like molecular structures, including cyclodextrins. This combination forms an inclusion complex with the one or more active compounds, slowing the release rate of the one or more active compounds from the carrier into the environment. Natural antioxidants such as vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, and beta-carotene may also actively control the release of the composition, typically by reducing the vapor pressure of the one or more active compounds. Naturally occurring ionic compounds such as sodium chloride, calcium chloride, etc. can also actively control the release of the composition. The combination of an ionic compound with a volatile compound can increase or decrease the vapor pressure of the volatile compound, depending on the complex interactions between the molecules and their relative amounts in the carrier.

[0055] In other embodiments, the release rate of one or more active compounds from the carrier into the environment can be affected by the presence of a stimulus. For example, the stimulus can be an additional compound, creating a competitive displacement system. In use, a competitive displacement system involves the addition of an additional compound to the delivery system. The delivery system's carrier can have a greater affinity for the additional compound than the compound already combined within the delivery system's composition. A competitive displacement system displaces the compound already combined within the composition with the additional compound. By way of example, and not limitation, in some embodiments, the addition of ethylene to the delivery system can displace a compound present in the composition. Thus, a competitive release system responds to the increase in ethylene produced by post-harvest ripening of fruits or vegetables by displacing, and thus releasing, a compound in the delivery system's composition that has antifungal properties. In one embodiment, the presence of moisture in the delivery system can cause the compound in the composition to be released at an increased rate into the environment near the fresh produce. In another embodiment, the delivery system can have a barrier layer in combination with one or more active compounds. The barrier layer of the delivery system can be temperature and / or humidity sensitive. For example, modified celluloses such as methylcellulose have a lower critical solution temperature (LCST) that can be designed to exist within a specific temperature range. Methylcellulose has an LCST of approximately 45°C. Below 45°C, methylcellulose is water-soluble, absorbs water, and transitions to a gel-like physical state. Above 45°C, methylcellulose expels water and transitions to a solid-like state. Diffusion barriers change permeability in response to temperature and humidity fluctuations, thus allowing the release rate of the delivery system to be adjusted based on the environment.

[0056] In another embodiment, the delivery configuration may respond to the presence of one or more environmental conditions by expanding or contracting the size of the delivery system. The compounds may be crosslinked to allow the delivery system to hydrolyze or oxidize in response to one or more environmental conditions. Examples of environmental conditions include, but are not limited to, an increase in water in the atmosphere surrounding the perishable product, an increase in the presence of oxygen in the atmosphere surrounding the perishable product, etc. For example, polymeric carriers crosslinked by ester bonds are unstable and hydrolyze at high humidity. The structure of such carriers, including their permeability and porosity, may change when exposed to high humidity, modulating the release rate of the delivery system.

[0057] In another embodiment, the one or more delivery systems comprise one or more active compounds and a plurality of vesicles. The one or more active compounds are positioned within a plurality of vesicles that form a nanoemulsion or microemulsion. The plurality of vesicles may range in size from about 10 nanometers to about 1 micrometer. The delivery systems may be formed as thermodynamically stable or metastable by, but not limited to, the addition of one or more surfactants and using appropriate processing methods.

[0058] Microemulsions can be very complex and contain many compounds, and as a conceptual model, they have at least three distinct components. For example, an oil-in-water (O / W) emulsion has a surfactant, a continuous phase (such as water), and a discontinuous dispersed phase (such as oil) trapped inside vesicles. Depending on the relative proportions of these components, various microstructures can be formed.

[0059] In one embodiment, one or more delivery systems containing multiple vesicles and one or more active compounds, specifically one or more essential oils or one or more essential oil components, and dispersion of the delivery system in a continuous phase such as water can affect the overall release of one or more active compounds into the environment. Those skilled in the art will understand that delivery systems can be modified by altering the relative ratio of one or more active compounds. Those skilled in the art will also understand that the use of different surfactants, emulsifiers, and multiple vesicle sizes can create different permeabilities for one or more active compounds located within the multiple vesicles (or from the vesicle surface / skin to the continuous phase). Furthermore, modifying the properties of one or more active compounds and the continuous phase can modify the release rate. In another embodiment, modifying the ratio of one or more active compounds in an emulsion can modify the release rate of one or more active compounds from the vesicles to the environment. In other embodiments, delivery systems containing vesicles and / or microemulsions with one or more active compounds can be suspended in a polymer matrix whose permeability depends on the temperature and humidity of the environment surrounding the delivery system.

[0060] In another embodiment, the one or more delivery systems may be emulsions of one or more active compounds having oil-like properties prepared in an aqueous continuous phase with one or more gelling agents. After the emulsion is formed, a portion of the water in the aqueous continuous phase may be evaporated to form a delivery system in a gel-like state in which the one or more active compounds having oil-like properties are dispersed throughout in the form of a microemulsion.

[0061] In another embodiment, the one or more delivery systems include one or more active compounds positioned within one or more capsules. In one embodiment, the one or more active compounds can be combined with a gel-like material. The one or more capsules can range in size from about 0.05 centimeters to about 3.0 centimeters. The one or more capsules can have an outer shell. The outer shell of the one or more capsules can be composed of a material that is permeable to the one or more active compounds. For example, the material can include, but is not limited to, cellulose, polymers, natural sugar polymers such as alginate, carrageenan, chitosan, synthetic polymers such as polyethylene glycol, and the like. The overall release rate of the one or more active compounds can be controlled through the selection of material for the one or more capsules and the thickness of the material selected for the one or more capsules.

[0062] In another embodiment, a delivery system comprising one or more compositions containing one or more active compounds and a carrier can be positioned within one or more capsules that are macroscopic in size. Macroscopic capsules have a diameter of about 0.2 centimeters or greater. One example can be a delivery system comprising a composition in the physical form of a powder or granules combined with a wax or gel carrier disposed within a capsule having a diameter of 0.5 centimeters. The one or more capsules can comprise a material that is permeable to the one or more active compounds. The release rate of the one or more active compounds can be influenced by the material and / or thickness of the outer shell of the capsule. In another embodiment, the release rate can be influenced by distributing an equal amount of the composition within one or more capsules that are smaller in size but more numerous, thereby providing a higher surface-to-volume ratio. Generally, this results in embodiments utilizing one or more capsules having a faster release rate of the one or more active compounds.

[0063] In one embodiment, the delivery system may have two or more compositions with different release requirements. For example, the delivery system may have composition 1 (C1) with a faster release rate that first releases C1 into the environment adjacent to the fresh goods, and composition 2 (C2) with a slower release rate that second releases C2 into the environment adjacent to the fresh goods. These releases may be sequential, or they may occur simultaneously and proceed at different rates.

[0064] Any suitable form of one or more of the delivery systems described above (carriers, vesicles, microemulsions, capsules, etc.) can be arranged in various macroscopic configurations that result in different surface-to-volume ratios. Generally, when one or more active compounds need to be released into the environment at a more rapid release rate, a delivery system with a high surface-to-volume ratio may be preferred. For example, the carrier may include a wax with one or more active compounds pressed into a thin, flat sheet. Alternatively, the delivery system may be formed into a honeycomb or similar pattern to achieve a larger surface area in the same footprint. In some embodiments, the composition may be formed into a flat or patterned sheet, including one with a honeycomb structure, that conforms to the interior of a container, package, box, or any suitable surface in the environment. In some embodiments, the conformable composition may be attached, coated, laminated, or otherwise fixed onto a surface, container, box, or package. In contrast, when a slower release rate over a longer period of time is desired, the delivery system may be formed into a shape with a smaller surface-to-volume ratio, such as a large sphere or cylinder. Another way to manipulate the surface-to-volume ratio can be to form a delivery system by using different particle sizes of the same basic shape. Simply changing the particle size will change the relative surface area at the same ratio for a given total amount of material. All other conditions being equal, the same amount of one or more active compounds made into smaller particle sizes can release one or more active compounds at a faster release rate than if one or more active compounds were crushed into a coarser size. In summary, the overall release rate can be controlled through any one or any combination of these macroscopic geometric shapes of the delivery system.

[0065] In some embodiments, one or more diffusion layers 115A, 115B may be separately applied to the surface of a composition containing one or more active compounds 110 to slow the overall release rate of the active compounds, as shown in FIG. 2H. In one embodiment, one or more diffusion layers 115A, 115B may or may not have active compounds present. In another embodiment, one or more diffusion layers may be constructed as a single diffusion layer 115A adjacent to one or more diffusion layers 115B, as shown in FIG. 21. In this embodiment, each of the one or more diffusion layers may have the same active compound, different active compounds, or no active compounds present in the diffusion layer. An example of a diffusion layer constructed as a single diffusion layer adjacent to one or more diffusion layers is multiple diffusion layers (plastic wrap) wrapped around a fresh product, in which droplets of beeswax are dispersed in a wax matrix having different compositions. The one or more diffusion layers may be selected from a group including natural polymers, synthetic polymers, paraffin, natural wax, paper, clay, ceramic, etc. The permeability of one or more diffusion layers may be determined by the thickness of one or more natural polymers, synthetic polymers, paraffin, wax, paper, clay, ceramic, etc. Additionally, the permeability through these diffusion barriers may be determined or manipulated by the properties of the material, the thickness of the diffusion barrier, the micropatterning or patterning of the diffusion barrier, and any physical perforations in the diffusion layer. If greater permeability is desired, the relative proportion of microperforations across the surface of the diffusion barrier or the pore size of the microperforations may be increased.

[0066] Delivery systems constructed from all the various embodiments (including differences in chemistry, shape, physical configuration, etc.) can be combined into a "package" or product in which multiple delivery systems operate independently in close proximity to each other. Multiple delivery systems produce an overall release of one or more active compounds, which may be difficult to achieve with a single delivery system design. Specifically, the observed net release behavior of multiple delivery systems is a collective superposition of all the responses of these delivery systems. For example, a fast-release component, such as small spherical beads, and a sustained-release component with different chemistry and / or larger particles, such as a sachet, can work together to reach a target concentration to achieve a biological result.

[0067] It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the present disclosure may also be applicable to a variety of items, including, but not limited to, food, textiles, appliances, household cleaning products, healthcare environments, and architectural surfaces, to preserve their integrity and prevent the presence of various fungi, molds, and other microorganisms. Such compositions may also be applied to building structures, plant components, and even clothing or footwear for their preservation or to reduce off-odors.

[0068] The ideas presented here can be extended beyond the preservation of fresh produce to many other application areas. For example, other foods that may be prone to spoilage, such as aged cheeses and cured meats, can be protected using these technologies. Furthermore, because volatile antimicrobially active compounds often have genus, species, or strain-level specificity in their spectrum of action, volatile antimicrobially active compounds can be selected that inhibit spoilage-causing organisms while not having an inhibitory effect on the growth of desirable organisms (e.g., for moldy cheeses such as Roquefort or Camembert).

[0069] Other applications may include (1) environmental sanitation, such as, but not limited to, household cleaning solutions that are safe, natural, and do not require spatial precision; (2) healthcare applications, such as, but not limited to, forming biofilms on medical devices that come into direct contact with people, such as by forming biofilm-inhibiting solutions that can function remotely; and (3) other industries that have recurring problems with fungal or bacterial growth, such as leather production, for example, veterinary services. [Example]

[0070] In the following examples, equilibrium vapor pressure is measured by allowing a sample to release volatiles in a closed container and measuring the concentration (vapor pressure) when it levels off under given conditions: concentration in the gas phase (vapor pressure is measured by a handheld photoionization detector or gas chromatograph).

[0071] In some embodiments, as described herein, a Schiff base is utilized. Schiff bases contain a weak covalent bond characterized by the presence of a double bond connecting a carbon atom and a nitrogen atom. Schiff bases can be made by forming a bond between a primary amine and an aldehyde or ketone functional group.

[0072] For example, chitosan has primary amine side chains. Under mild conditions (50°C in dilute acetic acid solution), chitosan forms reversible bonds with aldehyde or ketone functional groups along the polymer chain. Because chitosan is a large, nonvolatile molecule, the resulting chitosan-aldehyde Schiff base is not itself volatile. In this way, volatile aldehydes can be reversibly attached to chitosan. Under dry conditions, the Schiff base is very stable, and the aldehyde remains attached. Under humid conditions, the Schiff base is unstable and is converted back to chitosan and aldehyde, which are then freely released.

[0073] In the following examples, the aldehyde used was trans-2-hexenal. This is an example of a developed "smart" delivery system that responds to relative humidity (RH), releasing more of its trans-2-hexenal payload under higher RH conditions. Here, RT VP is the equilibrium vapor pressure (VP) measured in a jar containing the sample at room temperature (RT), typically expressed in parts per million (PPM), as measured by a handheld photoionization detector. As seen in Table 1, pure aldehydes have very high volatility (VP of 6000 PPM). When pure aldehydes are converted to Schiff bases, the VP drops dramatically because covalent bonds are attached, slowing the release of the aldehyde. Furthermore, due to the sensitivity of the covalent bonds in Schiff bases to humidity, the equilibrium VP changes with changes in humidity.

[0074] [Table 1]

[0075] Figure 3 shows an exemplary diffusion cell according to the present technology. The permeability of a thin film or slab of material to a particular volatile compound can be measured with a diffusion cell. The material can be a single material, a heterogeneous blend, or a composite made up of multiple layers or an otherwise defined architecture. The diffusion cell has two compartments separated by the material to be tested, which is formed into a flat sheet or film. A volatile compound whose diffusion rate through the test material is to be studied is placed in one of the compartments at time zero. The other compartment is empty at time zero. The concentration of that compound in the gas phase in the initially empty compartment is measured as a function of time. In the following figures, vapor pressure (VP) is one measure of concentration. This is shown schematically in Figure 3.

[0076] Figure 4 shows a test fixture according to this technique. The test fixture includes two compartments formed from stainless steel pipe. A flange is used between the two compartments to secure the test material between the compartments and form an airtight seal. If testing is required to be performed at elevated temperatures, heat tape is wrapped around the entire assembly.

[0077] In some embodiments, the thin film, membrane, or slab has a thickness of about 0.15 mm. In some embodiments, the membrane has a diameter of 3 inches (or about 7.6 cm). A high concentration of a volatile compound is trapped in a known volume on one side of a membrane with a known exposed area. The volatile is allowed to diffuse through the membrane, and its concentration is measured on the other side as it passes through. The thickness and exposed area of ​​the membrane, as well as the flux of the volatile through the membrane, can be used to calculate the permeability of the membrane to the volatile and the diffusivity of the volatile in the membrane material.

[0078] Figure 5 is a graph showing diffusion through an exemplary membrane according to the present technology. The horizontal axis is time in minutes. The vertical axis is vapor pressure in parts per million (PPM). Diffusion of C59 (a volatile compound of interest) through a polyethylene membrane is plotted.

[0079] 6 is a graph showing diffusion through another exemplary membrane according to the present technology. The horizontal axis is time in hours. The vertical axis is vapor pressure in parts per million (PPM). C59 diffusion through a polypropylene membrane is plotted.

[0080] Figures 5-6 show the difference in permeability of two different materials of the same thickness to the same compound, designated C59. The polyethylene membrane has a lower permeability to the compound than the polypropylene membrane, as evidenced by a slower increase in the concentration (vapor pressure) of the compound in an initially empty chamber. Thus, in some physical embodiments, layers or structures made from one or more materials can be used to tailor the overall release rate.

[0081] PTFE, FEP, and PET membranes were also studied, but diffusion through these membranes was too slow to reliably measure permeability and diffusion coefficients with the current test equipment setup. Thus, the PTFE, FEP, and PET samples tested are much less permeable to C59 than the PP and PE samples tested.

[0082] Applying a wax diffusion barrier layer to the outside of a carrier containing an active compound allows the compound's vapor pressure and release rate to be adjusted. Volatile essential oil compounds (EOCs) were either introduced into a fiber matrix as a pure liquid or encapsulated in a carrier (natural oil or emulsion). The matrix was then coated with a wax diffusion barrier layer, which controls the rate at which the EOCs can be released from the matrix. In this case, the wax diffusion barrier layer also prevents the matrix and carrier from absorbing moisture from the environment, making the system less sensitive to moisture. Representative results are shown in Table 2, which also shows the VP difference achieved by varying the matrix material without wax.

[0083] [Table 2]

[0084] The wax diffusion barrier layer can also adjust the compound vapor pressure above the ceramic matrix. EOC was encapsulated in an emulsion carrier, applied to a cardstock substrate, and cured with a calcium carbonate hardener to create a ceramic matrix. The coated card was then coated with one or two layers of paraffin wax. Thicker wax diffusion barriers reduced EOC emissions more than thinner barriers, as evidenced by the decrease in equilibrium vapor pressure with increasing barrier layer thickness.

[0085] Figure 7 is a graph showing the vapor pressure of a wax carrier (as shown in Table 3) according to the present technique. The horizontal axis is time in days. The vertical axis is vapor pressure in PPM. As shown in Figure 2H, the dashed line represents a single wax layer, while the solid line represents two wax layers.

[0086] [Table 3]

[0087] The vapor pressure and release rate of the compound can also be controlled by applying a polymeric diffusion barrier. EOCs were encapsulated in an emulsion carrier, applied to a cardstock substrate, and cured with a calcium carbonate hardener. The coated card was then laminated with polypropylene (PP) films of different thicknesses. Thicker films reduced EOC release more than thinner films (Table 4).

[0088] Figure 8 is a graph showing the vapor pressure of a PP film carrier (as shown in Table 4) according to the present technology. The horizontal axis is time in days. The vertical axis is vapor pressure in PPM. The dashed line with circular nodes represents a thin PP film, and the dashed line with square nodes represents a thick PP film.

[0089] [Table 4]

[0090] It has been shown that by altering the surface area-to-volume ratio of the carrier matrix while keeping the composition constant, the release profile of the active compound can be altered without significantly changing the equilibrium vapor pressure of the composition. Granules with a higher surface area release more (faster) compound per unit time, while solid slabs of the same composition and total volume release volatile compounds more slowly over time. Table 5 shows that the final equilibrium pressure in a sealed jar is essentially the same as expected, regardless of the physical configuration (slab vs. granules). This is because the difference between the physical configurations here does not affect the equilibrium state, but only the rate at which equilibrium is reached.

[0091] [Table 5]

[0092] Figure 9 shows the evolution of vapour pressure over time measured in the same leaky container according to the present technology. The horizontal axis is time in days. The vertical axis is vapour pressure in PPM. The solid line is for a 1g oleogel slab sachet whilst the dashed line is for a 1g oleogel granules sachet.

[0093] In one case, granular sachet contains multiple particles obtained by crushing a solid piece of carrier matrix containing active compound into granules.Therefore, granular sachet has a high surface-to-volume ratio.In contrast, slab sachet contains a single slab-shaped block of compound, thereby having a smaller surface-to-volume ratio.The change in measured vapor pressure (VP) over time is a measure of the release rate of the compound.The granular sachet with a high surface-to-volume ratio releases its volatile compound much faster than the slab sachet.

[0094] A series of simulation results were obtained assuming realistic inputs: 1.4E-12m through beeswax ^ A molecular diffusivity of 2 / s was previously assumed, and this is the value used in the simulations unless otherwise specified.

[0095] Unless otherwise specified, most situations modeled involve a volatile compound emission source within a larger, empty 10 cm x 10 cm box (the compound emission source at the bottom of Figure 10). The simulations investigate the concentration distribution within the box and the compound emission source as a function of various physical structural and material property variations.

[0096] 10 is an exemplary geometry for a carrier used in a simulation according to the present technology. As shown, the box has a first width W1 and a first height H1. The volatile compound (or active compound) emission source has a second width W2 and a second height H2. In some embodiments, the large box is 10 x 10 centimeters, i.e., H1 = 10 cm and W1 = 10 cm. In some embodiments, the large box is an enclosed environment in which the volatile compound is emitted. In some embodiments, the compound emission source is a volatile compound emission source. In some embodiments, the compound emission source is 2.24 cm x 0.45 cm, i.e., H2 = 0.45 cm and W2 = 2.24 cm.

[0097] Figure 11 shows the concentration distribution of a volatile substance in a solid rectangular-shaped support matrix according to the present technology. The horizontal axis is distance in centimeters. The left vertical axis is distance in centimeters. The right vertical axis is concentration distribution. Each support shown has a different permeability to the volatile substance at the same time point (72 hours) after starting with the same uniform concentration of 1 (arbitrary units) at time zero. The more permeable the support material is to the volatile substance (in other words, the higher the diffusion rate of the volatile compound through the support material), the more pronounced the concentration drop toward the surface of the support.

[0098] Figure 12 is a graph of different release profiles from the matrix of Figure 11 using the present technology. The horizontal axis is time in hours. The vertical axis is the instantaneous concentration in a two-dimensional (2D) box in moles per meter (m) of depth. The variation in gas concentration within the box resulting from the release of volatiles from the carrier matrix is ​​also shown. The results demonstrate the ability to increase the observed release rate and tailor the release profile in an environment containing a carrier matrix by using materials with different diffusivities. Delivery matrix materials with higher diffusivities release faster than those with lower diffusivities. Figure 12 shows the concentrations within the box when the carriers shown in Figure 11 are placed individually (or individually) within an initially empty box. Thus, six different scenarios are presented, illustrating that the observed release differs based on the permeability of the carrier to volatile compounds. Changing the aspect ratio dramatically changes the release rate because it alters the surface-to-volume (S / V) ratio.

[0099] Figure 13 shows the concentration distribution of volatile substances for rectangular carriers of different sizes using this technology. The horizontal axis is distance in centimeters. The left vertical axis is distance in centimeters. The right vertical axis is concentration distribution. Each carrier initially containing the same amount of the same volatile compound has equal permeability at 72 hours of development / release. They span a wide range of aspect ratios and S / V ratios.

[0100] Figure 14 is a graph of the different release profiles from the different sized matrices of Figure 13 according to the present technology. Figure 14 shows the significantly different release profiles observed in the same box containing these rectangular matrices. The horizontal axis is time in hours. The vertical axis is the instantaneous concentration in the two-dimensional (2D) box in moles per meter (m) of depth. Figure 14 shows what might be observed in the empty box if one were to simulate a carrier with a different aspect ratio than Figure 13, one at a time.

[0101] The effect of outer layers with different diffusivities on the observed release rates was also shown. Figure 15 shows the construction of a carrier having a multi-layer configuration in accordance with the present technology. In some embodiments, the carrier includes a core having a second width W2 and a second height H2. In some embodiments, the core has an outer layer with a third width W3.

[0102] Figure 16 shows carriers with outer layers of varying diffusivities but the same thickness, according to the present technology. The horizontal axis is distance in centimeters. The left vertical axis is distance in centimeters. The right vertical axis is concentration distribution. If the outer layer has a high diffusivity, it releases its payload quickly, resulting in an initial burst and a rapid increase in concentration within the box (solid line with diamond-shaped nodes in Figure 17). If the outer layer has a much smaller diffusivity, it acts as a diffusion barrier to the core, slowing the overall release rate (solid line with "x"-shaped nodes in Figure 17). Figure 16 shows the concentration distribution in the carrier at the end of 100 hours. Initially, the compound is dispersed in both the core (2.24 cm x 0.45 cm box, i.e., W2 = 2.24 cm and H2 = 0.45 cm) and the edge (0.40 cm x 0.45 cm outer layer, here W3 = 0.40 cm), and released into the surrounding larger box (not shown). The diffusivity in the outer layer varies by a factor of 100, from 0.1 to 10 times that in the core layer.

[0103] Figure 17 is a graph of different release profiles of the carriers of Figure 16 according to the present technology. The horizontal axis is time in hours. The vertical axis is instantaneous concentration within a two-dimensional (2D) box in moles per meter (m) of depth. The solid line with diamond-shaped nodes represents carriers with outer layers having the highest diffusivities, the solid line with circular nodes represents carriers with outer layers having intermediate diffusivities, and the solid line with "x"-shaped nodes represents carriers with outer layers having low diffusivities.

[0104] Figure 18 shows the concentration distribution of a volatile substance in a solid rectangular-shaped carrier matrix according to the present technology. The horizontal axis is distance in centimeters. The left vertical axis is distance in centimeters. The right vertical axis is concentration distribution. In one simulation, three emission sources (carriers) with equal permeability, shown at the top of Figure 18, were placed simultaneously in the same box. The top row of Figure 18 shows emission sources that all have the same release rate (medium) at the end of a fixed duration. The bottom row of Figure 18 shows emission sources with three different permeabilities (high, medium, low) to the compound at the end of the same fixed duration. In a second simulation, the bottom three carriers with different permeabilities were all placed in the box.

[0105] Figure 19 is a graph of different release profiles from the matrix of Figure 18 using the present technology. The horizontal axis is time in days. The vertical axis is the concentration within the box. The line with circular nodes represents the top row of Figure 18. The line with star-shaped nodes represents the bottom row of Figure 18. The fact that the second case (bottom row of Figure 18) consists of three release sources with different release rates results in the significantly altered release profile observed in the box containing them. Therefore, including a blend of carrier matrices with different permeabilities for a compound can also be used to tailor the release profile, even if their physical shapes are similar. Specifically, a fast-releasing embodiment can be included to quickly reach a target concentration in the environment, while a slower-releasing embodiment can be included to help maintain the required concentration. This simulation demonstrates how different overall release profiles can be achieved by including multiple carriers with different permeabilities and intrinsic release rates. In this particular simulation, the intrinsic release rate of each carrier was modified through diffusivity / permeability. However, as shown in other examples, the intrinsic release rate can also be affected by S / V ratio, physical patterning, aspect ratio, etc. Thus, including multiple carriers of different types allows for a wide range of net / total release rates to be achieved.

[0106] Figure 20 shows the concentration distribution of volatiles for different geometries using this technique. The horizontal axis is distance in centimeters. The left vertical axis is distance in centimeters. The right vertical axis is concentration distribution. The effect of different S / V ratios and diffusion path lengths by varying the detailed geometry was also simulated. This effect is modeled by implementing ridges that rise above the base by different amounts. In all cases, the total source volume was kept the same; these cases only differed from each other by their geometry.

[0107] Figure 21 is a graph of the different release profiles in the different shaped matrices of Figure 20 according to the present technology. The horizontal axis is time in hours. The vertical axis is concentration within the box. Figure 21 shows the resulting concentrations that may be observed within the same box containing each one of the release sources shown in Figure 20. As shown in Figure 21, simply changing the physical topology, which changes the S / V and effective diffusion path, results in different release profiles. This effect can also be used to adjust the topology and geometry of the release source (carrier matrix) design to achieve a desired release profile.

[0108] Figure 22 shows the concentration distribution from ball-shaped volatile materials using this technology. The horizontal axis represents distance in millimeters. The left vertical axis represents distance in millimeters. The right vertical axis represents concentration distribution. We also simulated the effect on release rate of changing the overall S / V ratio by dividing one large round ball into many smaller balls. In this simulation, the total volume of the ball-shaped (spherical) release source (carrier matrix) and the total amount of compound contained therein are kept the same. Therefore, in terms of the total amount of material and compound contained, several small spheres can be equivalent to fewer larger spheres. The only difference is due to the difference in S / V ratio. Even if the total ball volume (total amount of material contained in the simulation) is the same, many smaller diameter balls release their volatile payload faster than fewer larger balls.

[0109] Figure 23 is a graph of different release profiles of the ball-shaped volatile substance of Figure 22 using the present technology. The horizontal axis is time in hours. The vertical axis is the instantaneous concentration within the box. The relative size of each ball and the concentration distribution within them after the same duration are shown in Figure 23. 500 tiny balls, 100 very small balls, 50 small balls, 10 medium balls, and 1 large ball are plotted, each with the same amount of compound within them. As shown, a larger number of small balls had a higher diffusivity than a single large ball.

Claims

1. 1. A delivery system for reducing the rate of decomposition of perishable goods, comprising: one or more compositions comprising at least one active compound; at least one carrier configured to carry said one or more compositions, a release rate modifying mechanism configured to adjust the release rate of the at least one active compound; At least one carrier comprising: a transmission system.

2. 10. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one active compound is selected from the group consisting of one or more volatile compounds, one or more non-volatile compounds, one or more plant immunostimulatory compounds, one or more ethylene-acting compounds, and combinations thereof.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the release rate modifying mechanism is one or more diffusion barriers or one or more release layers.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the permeability of the one or more diffusion barriers or the one or more release layers is determined by material selection, diffusivity, thickness, micropatterning, or a combination thereof.

5. The system of claim 3 , wherein the one or more diffusion barriers are responsive to an environmental stimulus, the environmental stimulus comprising temperature, humidity, or a combination thereof.

6. 10. The system of claim 1, wherein the release rate modifying mechanism is porosity of at least one component of the carrier selected from macroscopic, mesoscopic, microscopic pores, or combinations thereof.

7. 10. The system of claim 1, wherein the release rate modifying mechanism is in the shape of the at least one carrier selected from a disk-shaped form, a honeycomb form, a dimpled form, a ribbed form, a fin-shaped form, a spherical form, a cylindrical form, granules, irregularly shaped beads, shavings, powders, sheets, flakes, and combinations thereof.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the at least one support has a plurality of surface-to-volume ratios.

9. 10. The system of claim 8, wherein the at least one support is a plurality of supports, each support of the plurality of supports having a surface-to-volume ratio different from at least one other support.

10. The system of claim 8 , wherein the at least one carrier is a flattened patterned disk having a plurality of ridges, each ridge having a different ridge width and pitch.

11. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the carrier is selected from the group consisting of water, paraffin, petroleum wax, petroleum, natural wax, beeswax, natural oils and modified natural oils such as canola oil, grapeseed oil, and hydrogenated soybean oil, resins or rosins, synthetic polymers, natural polymers or gums such as alginate, starch, carrageenan, agar, shellac, pectin, chitin, inulin, lignin, hyaluronic acid, chitosan, collagen, keratin, xanthan gum, gum arabic, mastic, and guar gum, ceramics, modified celluloses such as methylcellulose, ethylcellulose, and hydroxypropylmethylcellulose, surfactants, mesoporous silica nanoparticles, microporous alumina, anodized aluminum, activated carbon, zeolites, clays, metal carboxylates, inorganic compounds, and combinations thereof.

12. The volatile compounds include trans-2-hexenal, trans-2-octenal, trans-2-nonenal, trans-2-decenal, trans-2-dodecenal, cuminaldehyde, citronellal, thymol, perillaldehyde, carvacrol, citral, carvone, pulegone, eugenol, bornyl acetate, 1-octanol, terpinen-4-ol, linalool, trans-anethole, trans-cinnamaldehyde, ethyl octanoate, ethyl nonanoate, ethyl decanoate, methyl octanoate, methyl nonanoate, methyl decanoate, fenchol, borneol, camphor, methyl eugenol, menthol, methyl salicylate, methyl anthranilate, phenylethyl acetate, phenylacetic acid, cinnamic acid acetic acid, γ-octalactone, γ-decalactone, eucalyptol, geranium oil, lavender oil, thyme oil, chrysanthellium ... Lobe oil, (-)-bornyl acetate, (-)-terpinen-4-ol, (+)-carvone, (±)-citronellal, (R)-(+)-citronellal, (S)-(-)-citronellal, (R)-(+)-pulegone, thymol, 4-isopropylbenzaldehyde (cuminaldehyde), 4-allylanisole, cis-3,7-dimethyl-2,6-octadien-1-ol, citronellol, trans-methyl cinnamate 3. The system of claim 2, wherein the hydroxybenzoate is selected from the group consisting of methyl benzoate, myrcene, ocimene, terpineol, 1-methyl-3-methoxy-4-isopropylbenzene, menthol, menthone, isomenthone, vanillin, geranyl formate, palmitic acid, (S)-(-)-perillaldehyde, nootkatone, hinokitiol, d-limonene, s-limonene, -cymene, nerolidol, 3-decen-2-one, and combinations thereof.

13. 3. The system of claim 2, wherein the non-volatile compound is selected from the group consisting of curcumin, chitosan, phytoalexins, phytoanticipins, one or more preservatives, vitamin E, vitamin A, vitamin C, tocopherols, catechins, anthocyanins, polyphenols, butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), and beta-carotene.

14. 3. The system of claim 2, wherein the plant immunostimulatory compound is selected from the group consisting of pinene, camphene, terpinene, terpineol, chitosan, phytoalexin, phytoanticipin, methyl salicylate, ethyl salicylate, methyl cinnamate, methyl jasmonate, jasmonic acid, cinnamic acid, salicylic acid, ethylene, p-aminobutyric acid, methyl salicylate, ethyl salicylate, methylcinnamic acid, fructan, ethylene, and harpin protein.

15. 3. The system of claim 2, wherein the ethylenically active compound is selected from the group consisting of activated charcoal, norbornadiene, resveratrol, sodium permanganate, potassium permanganate, vanillin, 1-methylcyclopropene, and combinations thereof.

16. The system of claim 1 , wherein the carrier further comprises one or more additive compounds.

17. 17. The system of claim 16, wherein the one or more additive compounds are selected from the group consisting of one or more macrocyclic compounds, surfactants, one or more antioxidants, urea, one or more polymers, and combinations thereof.

18. 18. The system of claim 17, wherein the one or more antioxidants are selected from the group consisting of vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, beta-carotene, tocopherol, butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), and combinations thereof.

19. The system of claim 1 , wherein the carrier includes a coating configured to protect the carrier from moisture, oxygen, or both moisture and oxygen.

20. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more compositions further comprise at least one non-active compound.

21. 21. A method for extending the life of perishable goods, the method comprising positioning one or more delivery systems according to any one of claims 1 to 20 in an area containing said perishable goods.

22. 1. A delivery system for reducing decomposition of perishable goods, comprising: A plurality of vesicles; one or more compositions positioned within the plurality of vesicles, the one or more compositions comprising at least one active compound and at least one non-active compound; at least one carrier configured to carry said one or more compositions, and at least one carrier comprising a release rate modifying mechanism, the release rate modifying mechanism configured to adjust the release rate of the at least one active compound.

23. 23. The system of claim 22, wherein the release rate modifying mechanism is one or more diffusion barriers.

24. 23. The system of claim 22, wherein the release rate modifying mechanism is a porosity of the at least one carrier selected from macroscopic, mesoscopic, microscopic pores, or a combination thereof.

25. 23. The system of claim 22, wherein the release rate modifying mechanism is in the shape of the at least one carrier selected from a disc-shaped form, a honeycomb form, a dimpled form, a ribbed form, a fin-shaped form, a spherical form, a cylindrical form, granules, irregularly shaped beads, shavings, powders, sheets, flakes, and combinations thereof.

26. 23. The system of claim 22, wherein the at least one active compound is selected from the group consisting of one or more volatile compounds, one or more non-volatile compounds, one or more plant immunostimulatory compounds, and one or more ethylene-acting compounds.

27. The volatile compounds include trans-2-hexenal, trans-2-octenal, trans-2-nonenal, trans-2-decenal, trans-2-dodecenal, cuminaldehyde, citronellal, thymol, perillaldehyde, carvacrol, citral, carvone, pulegone, eugenol, bornyl acetate, 1-octanol, terpinen-4-ol, linalool, trans-anethole, trans-cinnamaldehyde, ethyl octanoate, ethyl nonanoate, ethyl decanoate, methyl octanoate, methyl nonanoate, methyl decanoate, fenchol, borneol, camphor, methyl eugenol, menthol, methyl salicylate, methyl anthranilate, phenylethyl acetate, phenylacetic acid, cinnamic acid acetic acid, γ-octalactone, γ-decalactone, eucalyptol, geranium oil, lavender oil, thyme oil, chrysanthellium ... Lobe oil, (-)-bornyl acetate, (-)-terpinen-4-ol, (+)-carvone, (±)-citronellal, (R)-(+)-citronellal, (S)-(-)-citronellal, (R)-(+)-pulegone, thymol, 4-isopropylbenzaldehyde (cuminaldehyde), 4-allylanisole, cis-3,7-dimethyl-2,6-octadien-1-ol, citronellol, trans-methyl cinnamate , myrcene, ocimene, terpineol, 1-methyl-3-methoxy-4-isopropylbenzene, menthol, menthone, isomenthone, vanillin, geranyl formate, palmitic acid, (S)-(-)-perillaldehyde, nootkatone, hinokitiol, d-limonene, s-limonene, -cymene, nerolidol, 3-decene-2-one, and combinations thereof.

28. 27. The system of claim 26, wherein the non-volatile compounds are selected from the group consisting of curcumin, chitosan, phytoalexins, phytoanticipins, one or more preservatives, and vitamin E, vitamin A, vitamin C, and beta-carotene.

29. 27. The system of claim 26, wherein the plant immunostimulatory compound is selected from the group consisting of pinene, camphene, chitosan, methyl jasmonate, salicylic acid, jasmonic acid, ethylene, beta-aminobutyric acid, and harpin proteins.

30. 27. The system of claim 26, wherein the ethylenically active compound is selected from the group consisting of norbornadiene, resveratrol, sodium permanganate, potassium permanganate, vanillin, and 1-methylcyclopropene.

31. A method for extending the life of perishable goods, the method comprising positioning one or more delivery systems according to any one of claims 22 to 30 in an area containing said perishable goods.

32. 1. A delivery system for reducing decomposition of perishable goods, comprising: one or more compositions comprising at least one active compound, at least one inactive compound, and a release rate modifying mechanism configured to adjust the release rate of the at least one active compound; and at least one carrier configured to carry said one or more compositions.

33. 33. The system of claim 32, wherein the release rate modifying mechanism is a structure of the one or more compositions.

34. 34. The system of claim 33, wherein the structure of the one or more compositions is selected from beads, granules, pellets, honeycomb structures, porous structures, and combinations thereof.

35. 33. The system of claim 32, wherein the at least one carrier comprises a second release rate modifying mechanism, the release rate modifying mechanism configured to adjust the release rate of the one or more compositions.

36. 33. The system of claim 32, wherein the at least one active compound is selected from one or more volatile compounds, one or more non-volatile compounds, one or more plant immunostimulatory compounds, and one or more ethylene-acting compounds, and combinations thereof.

37. 36. The system of claim 35, wherein the second release rate modifying mechanism is a diffusion barrier.

38. 36. The system of claim 35, wherein the second release rate modifying mechanism is porosity of the carrier selected from macroscopic, mesoscopic, or microscopic pores.

39. 36. The system of claim 35, wherein the second release rate modifying mechanism is a shape of the carrier selected from a disk-shaped configuration, a honeycomb configuration, a dimple-shaped configuration, a rib-shaped configuration, a fin-shaped configuration, a spherical configuration, a cylindrical configuration, and combinations thereof.

40. 1. A method for extending the life of perishable goods, comprising: A method comprising positioning one or more delivery systems according to any one of claims 32 to 39 in an area containing said perishable goods.

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