** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** THIS PARTNERSHIP PROJECT IS A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT BETWEEN CLEMSON UNIVERSITY AND NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL UNIVERSITY. THE PROJECT AIMS TO DEVELOP A NOVEL AND EFFECTIVE ANTIMICROBIAL PACKAGING TECHNOLOGY, WHICH IS BASED ON THE COATING OF PACKAGING FILMS WITH FOOD-SAFE PAINT-LIKE FORMULATIONS CONTAINING SMALL CARBON PARTICLES-DERIVED MATERIALS DENOTED AS CARBON DOTS (CDOTS). THESE SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED CDOTS WILL BE PRODUCED USING FOOD-GRADE INGREDIENTS, AND WILL BE FORMULATED TO MODIFY THE SURFACES OF PLASTIC FILMS COMMONLY FOUND IN COMMERCIAL FOOD PACKAGES. SUCH MODIFIED FOOD PACKING FILMS WITH EXPOSURE TO VISIBLE OR AMBIENT LIGHT WILL BE CAPABLE OF HINDERING THE GROWTH OF FOOD SPOILAGE MICROBIALS AND ALSO PATHOGENIC BACTERIA, THUS EXTENDING THE SHELF LIFE OF THE PACKAGED FOOD ITEMS AND PREVENTING PATHOGENIC FOOD POISONING. THE PROJECT TEAM WILL ASSESS AND OPTIMIZE THE DESIGN AND PRODUCTION OF CDOTS AND THEIR DERIVED FORMULATIONS FOR THE DESIRED ANTIBACTERIAL FUNCTIONS, EVALUATE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE MODIFIED PACKAGING FILMS AGAINST SELECTED FOOD SPOILAGE BACTERIA AND FOODBORNE PATHOGENS, AND VALIDATE THE FEASIBILITY OF THE TECHNOLOGY WITH A SPECIFICALLY CONSTRUCTED ANTIMICROBIAL SELF-CLEANING POULTRY PACKAGE RESEMBLING THOSE COMMONLY FOUND IN GROCERY STORES. THE SUCCESSFUL OUTCOMES FROM THE PROJECT ARE EXPECTED TO LEAD TO A NEW FOOD PACKAGING TECHNOLOGY AND ASSOCIATED PROTOCOLS APPLICABLE TO ADDRESSING THE MAJOR CHALLENGES IN FOOD SPOILAGE AND CONTAMINATIONS IN FOOD PACKAGES, AND TO ADDRESS FUNDAMENTAL AND TECHNICAL ISSUES THAT ARE CRITICAL TO THE EVENTUAL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE TECHNOLOGY.