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Advances in food packaging – a review

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 Stewart Postharvest Review
An international journal for reviews in postharvest biology and technology

Advances in food packaging – a review

Harleen Kour, Naseer Ahmad Towseef Wani, Anisa Malik, Rajkumari Kaul, Harmeet Chauhan, Prerna
Gupta, Anju Bhat and Jagmohan Singh
Division of Post Harvest Technology, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Science and Technology, Jammu, India

Abstract
Purpose of review: This article focuses on the use of active and intelligent packaging in the food industry and highlights areas where
these techniques are being applied for the storage of fresh produce.
Findings: Active and intelligent packaging are of great importance to the storage of fresh produce and several types of active packages
are commercially available. Recent studies with strawberries have shown that active packaging, with and without CO2 absorbers, main-
tained fruit quality and improved storage life significantly better than controls. Assessment of fruit quality can be monitored nonde-
structively using FT-NIR. Intelligent packages, eg, the 3MTM MonitorMark indicator, have been developed and have had success in the
food industry. Nanotechnology applications in packaging include sensors that can detect food deterioration, nanoclay-nylon coatings
and silicon oxide barriers for glass bottles that impede gas diffusion, metalized films, and antimicrobials incorporated in packaging,
smarter bar codes, and improved pigments, inks, and adhesives.
Directions for future research: The recent advances in packaging technologies have improved things both from a consumer safety
perspective and for manufactures as well. However, there are several areas which require further exploration. These include: the devel-
opment of toxic free and degradable or edible packaging materials that are for humans as well as for the environment; further research
into regulations governing the assessment and use of these technologies worldwide. The development of the 3MTM MonitorMark indi-
cator and others have generated much momentum in the area of food packaging research and we believe that in the near future this will
be followed by the development and widespread use of many other similar indicators.

Keywords: biosensors; time-temperature indicators; oxygen scavengers; antimicrobials; active and intelligent packaging

Abbreviations Introduction
MAP Modified Atmosphere Packaging In recent years packaging has developed well beyond its
TTI Time-Temperature Indicator original function as merely a means of product protection
and now plays a key marketing role in developing on shelf
*Correspondence to: Harleen Kour, Division of Post Har- appeal, providing product information, and establishing
vest Technology, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural brand image and awareness. The continued quest for inno-
Science and Technology, Jammu-180018, India. Email: vation in food and beverage packaging is mostly driven by
harleen.phd@rediffmail.com consumer needs and demands influenced by changing global
trends, such as increased life expectancy, fewer organiza-
Stewart Postharvest Review 2013, 4:7 tions investing in food production and distribution [1], and
Published online December 2013 regionally abundant and diverse food supply. The use of
doi: 10.2212/spr.2013.4.7 food packaging is a socioeconomic indicator of the in-
creased spending ability of the population or the gross do-
mestic product, as well as regional (rural as opposed to ur-
ban) food availability. Food and beverage packaging com-
prises 55% to 65% of the $130 billion value of packaging in
the USA [2].

© 2013 Stewart Postharvest Solutions (UK) Ltd.

Online ISSN:1945-9656
www.stewartpostharvest.com
Kour et al. / Stewart Postharvest Review 2013, 4:7
History of packaging development
Wrapping the product for the consumer in the late 1800s was
not a science. Packaging was anything the seller had on hand.
Newspaper and cloth sacks were best known for wrapping
meat and holding flour or sugar. The paperboard box lead to
the mass-marketing of many products. Canning food, to pre-
serve it for a long period of time was invented in the early
1800s when Napoleon wanted higher quality diets for his
armies. Later, the packaging world saw the introduction of
other materials such as cellophane and polyethylene. Cello-
phane, a clear, flimsy product was used as a protective cover-
ing for food. It allowed the packager to display products in an
attractive way by placing “windows” in a paper package; this
type of packaging encouraged the growth of self-service
stores. Polyethylene, a kind of plastic, was introduced around
the time of World War II. Since the 1950s, plastics have en-
tered the packaging scene to replace many steel, glass, and
paper containers. The advantages of plastic containers are
that: they are less expensive; easier to produce; lighter in
weight; more resistant to breakage; and less expensive to
ship.
The importance of packaging
The principal function of packaging is protection and preser-
vation from external contamination [3]. This function in-
volves: retarding deterioration; extending shelf life; and
maintaining the quality and safety of packaged food. Packag-
ing protects food from environmental influences such as heat,
light, the presence or absence of moisture, oxygen, pressure,
enzymes, spurious odours, microorganisms, insects, dirt and
dust particles, gaseous emissions, etc. Secondary functions of
increasing importance include traceability, tamper indication,
and portion control [4]. Different types of packaging methods
have evolved with need. The packaging of food in modified
atmospheres is a well-known and proven method. In the be-
ginning only nitrogen and carbon dioxide were used as single
gases for processing and packaging of coffee and cheese,
among other goods. The main gases used for modified atmos-
phere packaging (MAP) are nitrogen, carbon dioxide and
oxygen. However, argon, carbon monoxide, helium and other
gases are defined as permitted gases for MAP by the Europe-
an Community.
The door for MAP was opened in principle, by the needs of
the customer. People want fresh, attractive and high quality
food at any time in any place. To fulfil these expectations the
manufacturer or trader has to solve great logistic problems.
Transport over long distances assumes high stability of the
goods. In addition, the packed food has to look attractive
enough to be bought. Consistent quality (taste, freshness, etc)
is absolutely necessary for strong customer loyalty. Another
form of packaging which took a lead is controlled atmos-
phere packaging in which the atmosphere of the food is con-
tinuously monitored and controlled. It involves mainly the
control of oxygen, carbon dioxide, relative humidity, temper-
ature etc. Vacuum packaging, which also has widespread use,
consists of the removal of air from the packaging, which is
next sealed tightly. The presence of oxygen in the packaging
results in many adverse changes, eg: autoxidation of fats
(rancidity); changes of taste and aroma; oxidation of pig-
ments, vitamin C, vitamin E, beta-carotene and certain amino
acids; as well as the development of aerobic microflora, par-
ticularly moulds. For this reason removing oxygen from the
medium can inhibit the development of aerobic bacteria, as
well as yeasts and moulds, which cause food spoilage [5].
In this paper will examine some advances in active and intel-
ligent packaging, with emphasis on such methods as: oxygen
scavengers, carbon dioxide absorbers and emitters, moisture
control agents, antimicrobials and ethylene absorbers and
emitters.
Active and intelligent packaging
Production of high quality food with an extended shelf life,
which is safe for consumer health is a task faced by produc-
ers. Advanced packaging systems have been developed in
order to protect the product and extend its stability. These
technologies are known as active packaging and intelligent
packaging [6].
Active packaging
Active packaging materials are designed to actively maintain
or improve the condition of the food either by eliminating
unwanted components from the package headspace and/or
from the food itself or by releasing active components into
the food or its surroundings. Such actions result in an exten-
sion of shelf life, improved safety and sensory attributes and
the maintenance of product quality [7]. Unlike traditional
packaging, active packaging plays a dynamic role in food
preservation. The main applications have mostly focused on
delaying oxidation and controlling moisture migration, mi-
crobial growth, respiration rates, volatile flavours and aro-
mas.
Active packaging technology can manipulate permselectivity,
which is the selective permeation of package materials to
various gases. Through coating, micro perforation, lamina-
tion, co extrusion, or polymer blending, permselectivity can
be manipulated to modify the atmospheric concentration of
gaseous compounds inside a package, relative to the oxida-
tion or respiration kinetics of foods. Certain nanocomposite
materials can also serve as active packaging by actively pre-
venting oxygen, carbon dioxide, and moisture from reaching
food. .
Today more and more studies are being conducted on the
application of active packaging studies in postharvest tech-
nology. For example, Aday et. al [8] have investigated the
use of alternative packaging approaches to maintain the
quality and extend the shelf life of strawberries. The methods
studied were active packaging, using chlorine dioxide (ClO2)
and ethylene moisture sachets. The quality properties of four
groups of samples were measured over 3 weeks at 4°C. Groups
were: control, active packaging without ClO2 treatment, active
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Kour et al. / Stewart Postharvest Review 2013, 4:7
packaging with low-dose (5 ppm) ClO2 treatment and active
packaging with high-dose (10 ppm) ClO2 treatment. Meas-
ured properties were weight loss, gas concentration, pH, ti-
tratable acidity, soluble solids content, texture profile and
colour. Active packaging with low-dose (5 ppm) ClO2 treatment
was found to be the most effective method for retaining titrat-
able acidity and for maintaining (L) brightness values. The
control group showed the largest total soluble solids reduc-
tion from 7.60 to 6.57. Active packaging without
ClO2 treatment showed the lowest weight loss (0.33%), while
the control group showed the highest (1.86%) at the end of
the storage [6]. These data have shown that active packaging
can be beneficial for the storage of postharvest produce.
Applications of active packaging
Oxygen scavengers
The presence of oxygen in a package can trigger or acceler-
ate oxidative reactions that result in food deterioration. Oxy-
gen facilitates the growth of aerobic microbes and moulds.
Oxidative reactions result in adverse qualities such as off-
odours, off-flavours, undesirable colour changes, and re-
duced nutritional quality. Oxygen scavengers remove oxy-
gen (residual and/or entering), thereby retarding oxidative
reactions. They are supplied in various forms; sachets in
headspace, labels, or direct incorporation into package mate-
rial and/or closures.
Oxygen scavenging compounds are mostly agents that react
with oxygen to reduce its concentration. Ferrous oxide is the
most commonly used scavenger. Others include ascorbic
acid, sulphites, catechol, some nylons, photosensitive dyes,
unsaturated hydrocarbons, ligands, and enzymes such as glu-
cose oxidase. To prevent scavengers from acting premature-
ly, specialised mechanisms can trigger the scavenging reac-
tion. For example, photosensitive dyes irradiated with ultravi-
olet light activate oxygen removal [11]. Oxygen scavenging
technologies have been successfully used in the meat indus-
try. Chemical substances are contained in a small bag, which
is placed in the packaging or they may be incorporated in
plastic materials (components of a low molar mass are dis-
persed in plastic during production or this plastic may be
laminated with an absorber carrier) [12].
Kartal et al. [13] have studied the effectiveness of two biaxi-
ally-oriented polypropylene and four biaxially-oriented poly-
propylene microperforated films of different transmission
rates (7 and 9 holes) with and without oxygen scavengers, on
storage stability of fresh strawberries. The gas concentration
in trays, pH, total soluble solids, surface colour (L* and a*),
electrical conductivity, sensory acceptance, texture profile
and FT-NIR analyses were measured during storage at 4oC.
The microperforations and oxygen scavenger significantly
affected the maintenance of an optimum gas composition
within the package for increasing strawberry storage life and
quality [13]. The authors found that, in general, packages
with oxygen scavengers had better results than controls in
terms of preservation of the biochemical parameters meas-
ured.
Commercial oxygen scavengers
Several oxygen scavengers are available commercially and
are briefly discussed below.
Ageless® absorbers / scavengers
This scavenger is one of the most often referred to and wide-
ly used. It may be supplied in different formats: sachet, to be
placed in the primary package, pressure-sensitive label to be
affixed in the internal surface of the package or card for prod-
uct support. The substances used are iron powder and ascor-
bic acid, although the iron powder is more widely used. Sev-
eral types and sizes of sachets are commercially available and
are applicable to many types of foods of different moisture
contents. The main types of absorbents are types Z, S, FX, E
and G, although other types are available in Asian markets
Types Z, S and FX are based on iron and are single function.
Type E contains, besides iron, Ca(OH)2, which is responsible
for carbon dioxide scavenging. Type G is based on ascorbic
acid and generates an equal volume of carbon dioxide to the
oxygen volume scavenged.
FreshPax® absorbers / scavengers
This product significantly inhibits the growth of moulds in
high and moderate barrier packaging. It also reduces the for-
mation of n-hexanal and other volatile compounds in fat rich
foods which are sensitive to oxidative rancidity.
Atco® absorbers / scavengers
This product is available in the form of sachets. It absorbs
oxygen in the packaged material, by reduces the level of at-
mospheric oxygen from 20.9% 0.01%. It prevents the oxida-
tion in the product by absorbing the oxygen, as well as pre-
vents bacterial growth.
O-Busters® absorbers / scavengers
This product removes the oxygen content inside the packaged
environment. The unique O-Busters® blend of absorbents
can pick up approximately three times its weight in oxygen,
preventing the harmful effect of moulds, mildew, bacteria,
colour change, taste change, insects and toxins. It is mostly
used in baked products, rice noodles, dried fruits and vegeta-
bles.
Cryovac® OS2000™ polymer-based O2 scavenging film
This product helps in protecting the nutrients, colour and
flavour components in food while reducing or eliminating the
formation of oxidative by-products.
Carbon dioxide absorbers and emitters
Carbon dioxide may be added to packages for beneficial ef-
fects, for example, to suppress microbial growth in certain
products such as fresh meat, poultry, cheese, and baked
goods. Carbon dioxide is also used to reduce the respiration
3
Kour et al. / Stewart Postharvest Review 2013, 4:7
rate of fresh produce and to overcome package collapse or
partial vacuum caused by oxygen scavengers. Carbon dioxide
is available in various forms, such as moisture-activated bi-
carbonate chemicals in sachets and absorbent pads. Con-
versely, high levels of carbon dioxide resulting from food
deterioration or oxidative reactions could cause adverse qual-
ity effects in food products. Excess carbon dioxide can be
removed by using highly permeable plastics whose permea-
bility increases with higher temperatures. Calcium hydroxide
is a typical absorber of carbon dioxide used in the form of
sachets [5].
The use of carbon dioxide absorbers is exemplified in a study
by Aday et al. [15], who investigated the effect of active
modified atmosphere packaging on the quality of fresh straw-
berries. Strawberries were treated with one oxygen and two
different carbon dioxide scavengers throughout storage at
4°C for 4 weeks. The effect of active packaging was assessed
by comparing gas concentrations, pH, electrical conductivity,
total soluble solids, surface colour, decay incidence, texture
profile analysis, sensory analysis, and FT-NIR analysis val-
ues. pH values were significantly higher in the controls
(package without absorbers) during storage compared with
other treatments. The package headspace with CO2 absorbers,
had the lowest CO2 accumulation, and O2 absorbers produced
constant O2 levels (5 kPa) during storage. Total soluble solid
contents of all treatments were between 10.34% and 7.7%
except for the control, which had a value of 6.94% at the end
of storage. This study shows that CO2 absorbers are effective
for maintaining some biochemical parameters. Electrical con-
ductivity was also lowest with CO2 absorbers throughout
storage and colour was better maintained in all treated fruit.
Firmness values of the controls were significantly lower than
those of the treatments. Results of sensory evaluation showed
that the controls had the lowest scores for all attributes.
Moisture control agents
For moisture-sensitive foods, excess moisture in packages
can have detrimental results: for example, caking in pow-
dered products, softening of crispy products such as crackers,
and moistening of hygroscopic products such as sweets and
candy. Conversely, too much moisture loss from food may
result in product desiccation. Moisture control agents help
control water activity, thus reducing microbial growth; re-
move melting water from frozen products and blood or fluids
from meat products; prevent condensation from fresh pro-
duce; and keep the rate of lipid oxidation in check. Desic-
cants such as silica gels, natural clays and calcium oxide are
used with dry foods while internal humidity controllers are
used for high moisture foods (for example, meat, poultry,
fruits, and vegetables). Desiccants usually take the form of
internal porous sachets or perforated water-vapour barrier
plastic cartridges containing desiccants. They can also be
incorporated in packaging material. Humidity controllers
help maintain optimum in-package relative humidity (about
85% for cut fruits and vegetables), reduce moisture loss, and
retard excess moisture in headspace and interstices where
microorganisms can grow. Purge absorbers remove liquid
squeezed or leaking from fresh products and can be enhanced
by other active additives such as oxygen scavengers, antimi-
crobials, pH reducers, and carbon dioxide generators. Exam-
ples here include packaging composed of an outer layer (eg,
polyethylene or polypropylene), constituting a barrier for
moisture from the outside, and an active inner layer (with
microchannels), made from polyethylene glycol [15].
Antimicrobials
Antimicrobials in food packaging are used to enhance quality
and safety by reducing surface contamination of processed
food; they are not a substitute for good sanitation practices
[17]. Antimicrobials reduce the growth rate and maximum
population of microorganisms (spoilage and pathogenic) by
extending the lag phase of microbes or inactivating them.
Antimicrobial agents may be incorporated directly into pack-
aging materials for slow release to the food surface or may be
used in vapour form. Research is underway on the antimicro-
bial properties of the following agents [17]:
• Silver ions – silver salts function on direct contact, but
they migrate slowly and react preferentially with organ-
ics. Research on the use of silver nanoparticles as antimi-
crobials in food packaging is ongoing, but at least one
product has already emerged: FresherLongerTM storage
containers allegedly contain silver nanoparticles infused
into polypropylene base material for inhibition of growth
of microorganisms.
• Ethyl alcohol – ethyl alcohol adsorbed on silica or zeo-
lite is emitted by evaporation and is somewhat effective
but leaves a secondary odour.
• Chlorine dioxide – chlorine dioxide is a gas that perme-
ates through the packaged product. It is broadly effective
against microorganisms but has adverse secondary ef-
fects such as darkening meat colour and bleaching green
vegetables.
• Nisin – nisin-coated films were stored at room tempera-
ture (21°C) and at 4°C and analysed weekly for
12 weeks. Antimicrobial activity of the different nisin-
coated films against a nisin indicator strain, Lactococcus
lactis subsp. cremoris ATCC 14365, and against Listeria
monocytogenes ATCC 19115 was assessed using an in-
hibition zone assay. Nisin has been found to be most
effective against lactic acid and Gram-positive bacteria.
It acts by incorporating itself in the cytoplasmic mem-
brane of target cells and works best in acidic conditions
[16].
• Organic acids – Organic acids such as acetic, benzoic,
lactic, tartaric, and propionic are used as preservative
agents [18].
• Allyl isothiocyanate – allyl isothiocyanate, an active
component in wasabi, mustard, and horseradish, is an
effective broad spectrum spectrum antimicrobial and
antimycotic. However, it has strong adverse secondary
odour effects in food.
• Spice-based essential oils – Spice-based essential oils
have been studied for antimicrobial effects: for example,
4
Kour et al. / Stewart Postharvest Review 2013, 4:7
oregano oil in meat and mustard oil in bread [19.
• Metal oxides – nanoscale levels of metal oxides such as
magnesium oxide and zinc oxide are being explored as
antimicrobial materials for use in food packaging [20].
Ethylene absorbers and adsorbers
Ethylene has long been recognized as a problem in post-
harvest handling of horticultural products. It is responsible
for a wide variety of undesirable effects: it accelerates the
respiration of fruits and vegetables, as well as softening and
ripening, and it is responsible for a number of specific post-
harvest disorders. The removal of this as from storage cham-
bers and packages of fruits and vegetables is, therefore, of the
utmost importance, and it is done as a regular practice in the
case of chambers, although is only more recently being done
in the case of removal from the packages. Ethylene is a very
reactive compound that can be altered in many ways, such as
chemical cleavage and modification, absorption, adsorption,
etc. This creates a diversity of opportunities for commercial
applications for the removal of ethylene [22]. Examples of
ethylene absorbers include:-
Potassium permanganate-based scavengers
Scavengers based in potassium permanganate are available in
sachets for packages or blankets for storage chambers. They
are not incorporated into food contacting materials because
of its toxicity. The KMnO4 is immobilized in an inert sub-
strate such as alumina or silica gel, among others, in a per-
centage of around 4 – 6%. The performance and useful life of
the scavengers depend on the substrate surface area and the
content in permanganate. Formulations differ in density and
surface area of substrate and permanganate content [22].
Activated carbon-based scavengers
Ethylene can be removed by a system using various metal
catalysts on activated carbon. This type of scavenger is more
popular in Japan. Examples include the Sendo Mate from
Mitsubishi, which is based on a palladium catalyst, Hato
fresh System from Honshu Paper, which is based on activat-
ed carbon impregnated with bromine-type inorganic chemi-
cals and Neupalon from Sekisui Jushi (Japan) [22].
Activated earth-based scavengers
Nowadays several packaging products can be found on the
market claiming ethylene adsorption. In most cases, the prod-
ucts consist of finely dispersed clay embedded in polyeth-
ylene films or bags that are used for fresh produce. Different
minerals are referred to, often local kinds of clay: Oya stone,
coral sand, etc. Apparently, there is no scientific evidence of
the effectiveness of these films in adsorbing ethylene. Alt-
hough the finely divided minerals may adsorb the ethylene,
they also open pores within the plastic layer, which alter the
gas exchange properties of the bag. Because ethylene will
diffuse much more rapidly through open pore spaces within
the plastic than through the plastic itself, it should be ex-
pected that ethylene will diffuse out of these bags faster than
through pure polyethylene bags. In addition, carbon dioxide
will leave these bags more readily and oxygen enters more
readily than is the case of a comparable polyethylene bag.
These effects can improve the shelf-life and reduce head-
space ethylene concentrations independently of any ethylene
adsorption [22].
Intelligent packaging
Intelligent or smart packaging is designed to monitor and
communicate information about food quality [10]. This
branch of packaging was developed simultaneously with ac-
tive packaging. These smart devices may be incorporated into
packaging materials or attached to the inside or outside of a
package. Examples include time-temperature indicators
(TTIs), freshness indicators, biosensors and radio frequency
identification. Intelligent packaging refers to a packaging
system that is capable of carrying out intelligent functions
(such as detecting, sensing, recording, tracing, communi-
cating, and applying scientific logic) to facilitate decision
making to extend shelf life, enhance safety, improve quality,
provide information, and warn about possible problems. We
believe that the uniqueness of IP is in its ability to communi-
cate: because the package and the food move constantly to-
gether throughout the supply chain cycle, the package is the
food’s best companion and is in the best position to com-
municate the conditions of the food.
Intelligent packaging, especially when integrated with sci-
ence-based principles, is a useful tool for tracking products
and monitoring their conditions, facilitating real-time data
access and exchange, and enabling rapid response and timely
decision making. These qualities are essential for any food
safety or biosecurity strategy. One of the key benefits of in-
telligent packaging is that it informs the consumer of the con-
dition of the product during transport and storage without the
need to open the package [9].
Intelligent packaging usually contains quality indicators,
TTIs and/or gas indicators. Temperature is usually the most
important environmental factor influencing the kinetics of
physical and chemical deteriorations, as well as microbial
growth in food products. TTIs are typically small self-
adhesive labels attached onto shipping containers or individu-
al consumer packages. These labels provide visual indica-
tions of temperature history during distribution and storage,
which is particularly useful for warning of temperature abuse
for chilled or frozen food products. They are also used as
“freshness indicators” for estimating the remaining shelf life
of perishable products. The responses of these labels are usu-
ally some visually distinct changes that are temperature de-
pendent, such as an increase in colour intensity and diffusion
of a dye along a straight path. There are 3 basic types of com-
mercially available TTIs: critical temperature indicators, par-
tial history indicators, and full history indicators.
Recently, attempts have been made design intelligent packag-
ing with biosensors - “intelligent” devices comprising a bio-
receptor recognizing an enzyme, antigen, microorganism,
5
Kour et al. / Stewart Postharvest Review 2013, 4:7
hormone or nucleic acid and a transductor (of the electro-
chemical, optical or acoustic type), closely related to the spe-
cific character of the measured parameter. Self-heating pack-
aging employs calcium or magnesium oxide and water to
generate an exothermic reaction. It has been used for plastic
coffee cans, military rations, and on-the-go meal platters. The
heating device occupies a significant amount of volume
(almost half) within the package. Self-cooling packaging
involves the evaporation of an external compound that re-
moves heat from contents (usually water that is evaporated
and adsorbed on surfaces). More details are available at
http://www.prdc.dost.gov.ph/tutorial/tutorial_materials/
antimicrobial_food_pkg.PDF.
Applications of intelligent packaging
In this section we briefly highlight some of the ways in which
intelligent packaging has been applied in recent years.
3MTM MonitorMark
The 3MTM MonitorMark is an indicator that has two versions,
one intended for monitoring distribution – the threshold Indi-
cator for industry, and other intended for consumer infor-
mation – the Smart Label. The former is an abuse indicator,
which means that it yields no response unless a predeter-
mined temperature has been exceeded. It is based on a special
substance having a selected melting point and blue dye. The
heart of the indicator is a porous wick layer over a reservoir
pad containing the blue dye. A film strip separates the wick
from the reservoir that is removed at the activation stage. At
this point, the porous wick, white in colour, is shown in the
window. Upon exposure to a temperature exceeding the criti-
cal temperature, the substance melts and begins to diffuse
through the porous wick, causing a blue colouring to appear.
There are available indicators with different critical tempera-
tures from –15ºC to 26ºC. The consumer label is a partial-
history integrator that changes colour when exposed to higher
than recommended storage temperature and will also change
as the product reaches the end of its shelf-life. The working
principle is based, as above, on the melting and diffusion of a
dye [22].
Colour changing disposable beverage lids
The smart lid is infused with a colour changing additive
which allows it to change from a coffee bean brown to a
bright red colour when exposed to an increase in temperature.
If the red colour is too intense, it indicates to consumers that
the coffee in the cup is too hot for comfortable drinking . If
the lid is cocked and not positioned correctly, the brown col-
our will not be distributed evenly and this will indicate that a
potential for spillage exists. The change in colour starts at
38ºC and it reaches full intensity at 45ºC. This colour chang-
ing additive is safe in food contact surfaces since it meets the
requirements of the United States Food and Drug Admin-
istration (FDA) regulations relating to direct food contact
materials additives. This innovation has won several awards
including a “WorldStart Packaging Award” in 2008 and the
“Best of Show” Award at the Ameristar Awards Ceremony in
2007. More details are available at http://www.iopp.org/files/
public/OhioStateLizanelFeliciano.pdf .
Nanotechnology in packaging
Incorporation of nanoparticles of clay into an ethylene-vinyl
alcohol copolymer and into a poly(lactic acid) biopolymer
was found to increase barrier properties to oxygen. This type
of packaging may extend shelf life of food products. Polymer
-silicate nanocomposites have also been reported to have
improved gas barrier properties, mechanical strength, and
thermal stability. Nanotechnology has modified the permea-
tion behaviour, increased barrier properties, improved me-
chanical and heat-resistance properties, developed active
antimicrobial surfaces and sensing as well as signalling mi-
crobiological and biochemical changes Kraft foods, along
with researchers at Rutgers University in the USA have de-
veloped an “electronic tongue” for inclusion in packaging.
This consists of nanosensors which are extremely sensitive to
gases released by food as it spoils, causing the sensor strip to
change colour as a result, giving a clear visible signal of
whether the food is fresh or not. More details are available at
http://iit.edu/ifsh/news_and_events/press/pdfsduncan_jcisfeature
_2011.pdf.
Hybrid packaging films have also been developed which are
enriched with silicate nanoparticles. These films prevent the
food from drying and protect them from moisture and oxy-
gen. Organizations are looking at ways in which nanotech-
nology can offer improvements in sensitivity or ease by
which contamination of food is detected. AgroMicron has
developed the “NanoBioluminescence Detection Spray”
which contains a luminescent protein that has been engi-
neered to bind to the surface of microbes such as Salmonella
and E. coli. When bound, it emits a visible glow, thus allow-
ing easy detection of contaminated food or beverages. The
more intense the glow is, the higher the bacterial contamina-
tion [23].
A novel packaging material prepared by blending polyeth-
ylene with nano powder of silver and titanium oxide was
used to preserve fresh strawberry at 4oC. The decay rate was
slow in nano-packaging than in normal. After 12 days storage
decrease in the content of TSS, TA and ascorbic acid were
significantly inhibited as compared to normal polyethylene
packaging. The anthocyanin content was less in nano packag-
ing as compared to the normal packaging material. The MDA
content with nano-packaging was significantly lower than the
normal [24].
Conclusion
The food industry has seen great advances in the packaging sec-
tor 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. While
some innovations have stemmed from unexpected sources, most
have been driven by changing consumer preferences. The new
advances like active and intelligent packaging have mostly fo-
6
Kour et al. / Stewart Postharvest Review 2013, 4:7
cused on delaying oxidation and controlling moisture migration,
microbial growth, respiration rates, and volatile flavours and
aromas. Nanotechnology has the potential to influence the pack-
aging sector greatly. Nanoscale innovations in the forms of path-
ogen detection, active packaging, and barrier formation are
poised to elevate food packaging to new heights. The recent
advances in the packaging technologies have lead to tremendous
growth, improvement and benefits to the consumers as well as
manufacturers. There is need to: develop the scavengers which
can act within short duration: develop toxic free and degradable
or edible packaging materials that are safe for humans as well as
for the environment; carry out further research into regulations
governing the assessment and use of these technologies world-
wide. The development of the 3MTM MonitorMark indicator and
others have generated much momentum in the area of food
packaging research and we believe that in the near future this
will be followed by the development and widespread use of
many other similar indicators.
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