Active Packaging

The development of packaging materials with new functionalities and lower environmental impact is now an urgent requisite of our society. On one hand, the shelf-life extension of packaged products can be an answer to the exponential increase of worldwide demand for food. On the other hand, uncertainty of crude oil prices and reserves has imposed the necessity to find raw materials to replace oil-derived polymers. Additionally, consumers' awareness towards environmental issues increasingly pushes industries to look with renewed interest to "green" solutions. In response to these issues, numerous polymers have been exploited to develop biodegradable food packaging materials. Although the use of biopolymers has been limited due to their poor mechanical and barrier properties, these can be enhanced by adding reinforcing nano-sized components to form nanocomposites. Cellulose is probably the most used and well-known renewable and sustainable raw material. The mechanical pro...

Innovation in food and beverage packaging is mostly driven by consumer needs and demands influenced by changing global trends, such as increased life expectancy, and fewer organizations investing in food production and distribution. Food industry has seen great advances in the packaging sector since its inception in the 18th century with most active and intelligent innovations occurring during the past century. These advances have led to improved food quality and safety. Active and intelligent packaging is a new and exciting area of technology which efficient contemporary consumer response. The aim of this review article was to present active and intelligent packaging currently existing on the market.

Moving towards globalization, food packaging requires longer storage time, quality control, and hygienic measures based on international standards. Nanotechnology can meet all these needs and implement the essential factors for packaging, storage, protection, marketing, distribution, and communications. Polymer nanotechnology can provide new food packaging materials with suitable mechanical, inhibitory, and antimicrobial properties along with nanosensors to track and control food conditions during transportation and storage. In this survey, the latest innovations and applications of nanomaterials in food packaging using improved, active, and smart nanotechnology are reviewed. Moreover, the current business situation, understanding of the health concept in these technologies, as well as the limitations of recently advanced polymer nanomaterials that can effectively change the food packaging industry are discussed.

Current trends in food packaging systems are oriented to biodegradable materials, especially with enhanced features. The latter are often provided by the combination of natural biopolymers, clays and bioactive molecules. This review summarises recent developments in the production of biopolymers-clay hybrid materials for food packaging. The main production methods of bio-composites and the improvement of their physicochemical properties due to the clay addition are discussed. The improvement of the film properties is explained with a focus on the molecular interactions between biopolymer matrix, clay, and bioactive compounds. Recent researches on their food application as active and intelligent packaging are summerized. This review shows that the application of biodegradable bio-composites as packaging material is a promising green option to ensure food quality and safety. The research on the chemical properties of tailored and tunable biopolymers could lead to new functional films, suitable for the industrial scale-up.

This  paper presents an automation of packaging
and material handling using a programmable logic controller. The idea is to automate the process of placing the materials inside a box, detecting good and bad items in terms of weight, and sealing using a packaging tape. The purpose of the study is to replace the manual system being used in the industry, compare the time, and manpower requirement for both the existing system with the proposed automated system. The Mitsubishi FX series programmable logic controller is used to mechanize the system. Sensors such as proximity and load sensor are used to provide the input to the system. The motors, pneumatics, and  also the  solenoids serve as the output. The researchers used a ladder diagram as a software that will control  then  the  whole system between its input and output components. An experimental prototype is produced to fully automate the system.  The experimentation is done through different trials and the rate of travel time is measured thru averaging. It is found out that the  system decreases time and manpower requirements for every station as compared with
traditional manual system. A reduction of 50% to 75% was
observed in terms of time allotment for filling, weighing, and
sealing stations. About 90% of full automation without human is specified  also  in the system. The paper ends with  the recommendation of integrating the experimental prototype with  the  human machine interface or HMI and feedback mechanisms for the rejected items using artificial intelligence techniques and methods.

Even though cinnamon oil (CO) because of the presence of antioxidant constituent of cinnamaldehyde (CIA) has functional and health effects in human, its food applications have been limited due to the poor water-solubility. Encapsulation of CO in stable nanodroplets is a unique strategy to enhance the stability and bioavailability of hydrophobic molecules in CO structure. An updated literature review is organized concerning the formation of stable nanoscale droplets using low- and high-energy nanoemulsification methods, physicochemical and antimicrobial characterization, and the food application efficiency of CO micro/nanoemulsions. Although high-energy emulsification technologies are more applied to fabricate CO-nanoemulsions, there is a considerable interest in the fabrication of these delivery systems by low-energy techniques of spontaneous emulsification and phase-inversion temperature. The optimization of processing and formulation (oil phase composition and surfactant content) variables resulted in the minimum droplet size and release rate of CIA. Cinnamon and CIA nanoemulsions can effectively control pathogens in functional foods during processing and storage. A strong inhibitory effect on many microorganisms can also be provided by small nanodroplets encapsulating these bioactive compounds into edible films to significantly decrease the synthetic preservative content. The antibacterial and antifungal activities, nutritional value and physicochemical quality of foods can be improved by adding CO-enriched nanoemulsions.

Conservation of food products depends on product quality and packaging suitability. The objective of this work was to develop and evaluate the antimicrobial efficiency of natamycin-incorporated film in the production process of Gorgonzola cheese. It aims to optimize the production process and increase shelf-life and food safety for the consumer. Films with different concentrations of natamycin were produced and tested in Gorgonzola cheeses to evaluate its efficiency against Penicillium roqueforti on the cheese surface. Films with 2 and 4% natamycin presented satisfactory results for fungus inhibition and the amount of natamycin released to the cheese was below that allowed by the legislation. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Pomegranate is a subtropical fruit that is widely consumed as fresh fruit and juice, however, its postharvest life is limited mainly due to storage disorders. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of nitric oxide (NO) on antioxidant activity and quality attributes of pomegranate fruit. The fruits were dipped for two minutes into different NO concentrations (0, 30, 100, 300 or 1000 µM). Then, the fruits were stored in cold room at 5 °C and RH 85%. After 90 days storage, changes in chilling injury, electrolyte leakage, titratable acidity (TA), total soluble solids (TSS), pH, antioxidant activity and total anthocyanin were evaluated. The results showed that 1000 µM NO application resulted in significant decrease in electrolyte leakage and TSS and maintained antioxidant activity and total anthocyanin in pomegranate fruit. However, no significant effect of NO treatment was observed on TA and chilling injury index. In conclusion, postharvest application of NO may be a promising method for maintaining quality of pomegranate fruit during cold storage.

Ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVOH) films containing green tea extract were successfully produced by
extrusion. The films were brown and translucent, and the addition of the extract increased the water and oxygen barrier at low
relative humidity but increased the water sensitivity, the glass transition temperature, and the crystallinity of the films and improved
their thermal resistance. An analysis by HPLC revealed that the antioxidant components of the extract suffered partial degradation
during extrusion, reducing the content of catechin gallates and increasing the concentration of free gallic acid. Exposure of the films
to various food simulants showed that the liquid simulants increased their capacity to reduce DPPH• and ABTS•+ radicals. The
release of green tea extract components into the simulant monitored by HPLC showed that all compounds present in the green tea
extract were partially released, although the extent and kinetics of release were dependent on the type of food. In aqueous food
simulants, gallic acid was the main antioxidant component released with partition coefficient values ca. 200. In 95% ethanol (fatty
food simulant) the K value for gallic acid decreased to 8 and there was a substantial contribution of catechins (K in the 1000 range) to
a greatly increased antioxidant efficiency. Kinetically, gallic acid was released more quickly than catechins, owing to its faster
diffusivity in the polymer matrix as a consequence of its smaller molecular size, although the most relevant effect is the plasticization
of the matrix by alcohol, increasing the diffusion coefficient >10-fold. Therefore, the materials here developed with the combination
of antioxidant substances that constitute the green tea extract could be used in the design of antioxidant active packaging for all type
of foods, from aqueous to fatty products, the compounds responsible for the protection being those with the higher compatibility
with the packaged product.

While packaging is a common marketing subject, this illustration paper provides an alternative perspective through the linguistic examination of packaging as discourse, focusing on male grooming, masculinity and metrosexuality. Male grooming is often perceived as trespassing into feminine space and creating ambiguity in gender borders. This study aims to explore how packaging designers negotiate masculinity, in order to persuade men to accept grooming products through social interactions within the packaging of L'Oréal Men Expert. Employing Scollon's mediated discourse analysis and incorporating the Barthesian order of signification, the study analyses how different social actions within the packaging discourse are mediated by multimodal features. The findings reveal five negotiating strategies, i.e. constructing a hegemonic masculine image; negotiating (a masculinised) metrosexuality; empowering men; giving men a logical reason to groom; and a different portrayal of skincare products. The key aim of this paper is to illustrate the differences between marketing and linguistics and propose possible collaboration.

Novel ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVOH) films containing beta-cyclodextrins (βCD) with potential application in active food packaging have been tested as materials for the preferential retention of undesired food components. The films were immersed on pasteurized milk and UHT milk and stored at 4 and 23 °C, respectively. The films containing βCD presented a significant reduction in cholesterol concentration, achieving a 23% reduction in UHT milk exposed to EVOH films containing 30% βCD. Despite the immobilization of the βCD and the large molecular size of cholesterol, 15% of the βCD molecules added to the films were involved in the formation of βCD/cholesterol inclusion complexes. In another set of experiments, the films were used to reduce the presence of aldehydes (substances which develop as a result of oxidative processes) in packaged fried peanuts. The films containing βCD brought a significant reduction in hexanal, reaching a 50% decrease over short periods (1–5 weeks). At longer storage times (10 weeks) the retention capacity of the developed films was exhausted and no differences were observed between the samples.

This work has been aimed at studying the effect of red thyme oil (RTO, Thymus vulgaris L.) on the shelf-life and Penicillium decay of oranges during cold storage. RTO vapours significantly reduced (P ≤ 0.05) the percentage of infected wounds, the external growth area and the production of spores in inoculated orange fruit stored for 12 days at 7°C in a polypropylene film selected for its appropriate permeability. Among the RTO compounds, p-cymene and thymol were the most abundant in packed boxes at the end of cold storage. The RTO vapours did not affect the main quality parameters of the oranges, or the taste and odour of the juice. The results have shown that an active packaging, using RTO vapours, could be employed, by the citrus industry, to extend the shelf-life of oranges for fresh market use and juice processing.

Ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVOH) films containing catechin or quercetin as antioxidant
agents were successfully produced by extrusion. The addition of these bioactive compounds did not
modify greatly their water and oxygen permeabilities, Tg, or crystallinity but improved their thermal
resistance. Exposure of the films to different food simulants showed that both compounds were
released, although the extent and kinetics of release were dependent on the type of food. In
aqueous and alcoholic food simulants their release was greater in the case of the catechincontaining
samples. Exposure of the films to isooctane and ethanol 95% (fatty food simulants)
provided controversial results; no release was observed in isooctane, whereas both bioactive
compounds were extracted by ethanol due to their high solubility in alcohol and the plasticizing
effect of ethanol on the polymer. Packaging applications of these films can improve food stability
and provide a method for adding such bioactive compounds.

A single-step electrospinning process will be applied to a blend of edible carbohydrate polymers (pullulan and-cyclodextrin) to encapsulate bioactive aroma compounds and allow a humidity-triggered release. The encapsulation is rapid and efficient and the final product is an active nanofibrous membrane that can be directly used for food or active packaging applications. The membrane hosts small and homogeneously dispersed crystals of cyclodextrin–aroma complexes which are formed during the electrospinning. With this type of structure, the release of aroma compound is negligible at ambient conditions (23 • C and 55% UR) even at high temperature (up to 230 • C), and it occurs beyond a given relative humidity threshold (90%), useful for food packaging applications. The mass fraction of free aroma released is directly related to the water activity of the system, namely, ϕ = a n W /(a n W + K app) explaining the observed key role played by the relative humidity on the release of the aroma compounds.