ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the antimicrobial activity, antimicrobial mechanism, and application of TiO2 nanoparticles and composite materials during the storage of fresh produce. It introduces the preparation of TiO2 nanoparticles and composite materials. Then, the chapter summarizes the antimicrobial activity and mechanisms of TiO2 nanoparticles and the composite materials. The antimicrobial activity of TiO2 nanoparticles and composite materials are influenced by the synergistic effect of coating materials and nanoparticles, the type and structure of the test microorganism, and the testing conditions. Ye et al. suggested the following collaborative antimicrobial mechanism consisting of TiO2/Ag compounds: Ag nanoparticles modified on TiO2 promotes the production of the detrimental ROS; the continuous release of Ag+ ions from compounds induces bacterial death in the dark, as well as in the light; the antibacterial characteristics are improved by the nanoneedle structure and a higher Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface area.
