Edible Packaging

Advanced
Advanced Course
Course on
on Seafood
Seafood Processing:
Processing:
Modern
Modern Technologies
Technologies and
and New
New Product
Product Development
Development

M. Elvira López Caballero

Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología de Alimentos y Nutrición, ICTAN-CSIC
 Introduction
Definition
Containment,
Containment, protection,
protection, handling,
handling, delivery
delivery and
and presentation
presentation of
of goods,
goods, from
from raw
raw
materials
materials to
to processed
processed foods,
foods, from
from the
the producer
producer to
to the
the user
user or
or consumer.
consumer.
(Directive
(Directive 94/62/EC).
94/62/EC).

Light
Heat Packages
Packages

Protection
Protection
Quality and Safety Identification
Identification
Information
Information

H2O
O2
 Introduction
Synthetic plastic
Advantages Disadvantages

Light Non-biodegradable
Durable Environmental pollution
Inert, (manufacture, incineration, waste)
Convenient Vehicles toxic compounds
Versatile, etc. MATERIALS Drop oil reserves
Renewable sources Price
Friendly Environment
Introducción
Trends

CHANGES
DEVELOPMENT NEW

Socio-economic
ƒ Processing Cultural ƒ Lifestyle
ƒ Storage Environment ƒ New habits
ƒ Control

QUALITY
QUALITY HowHow?
many?

SHELF-LIFE
SHELF-LIFE

HEALTH
HEALTH
 Introduction
Edible Packaging

Development
Development
Implementation
Implementation

Combined Technologies Natural Preservatives Novel Technologies

Protect
Protect
CHARACTERISTICS
™ Renewables souces
™ Barrier
9 ↓ Dehydration
9 ↓ Oxidation
™ Biodegradability
 Edible Packaging

COATING
A thin layer of edible material formed 
as a cover on the food.
Liquid for inmmersion

FILM
Preformed thin edible 
material. Once prepared may 
be disposed on or between 
food components. 

Solid sheets on the food
Edible Packaging

APPLICATIONS
APPLICATIONS
¾ All
¾ All foods
foods
¾ Combination
¾ Combination with
with technologies
technologies (e.g.
(e.g.
MAP,
MAP, cooling,
cooling, etc.)
etc.)
¾ Benefits
¾ Benefits
9 Quality
9 Quality
99 Safety
Safety
99 Shelf -life
Shelf-life
¾ Barriers
¾ Barriers,, carriers
carriers
¾ Adherent
¾ Adherent,, protective
protective

Additives permitted for use in food

 Edible Packaging

How?
How?
Obtained
Obtained by
by casting,
casting, spray-drying,
spray-drying, etc.
etc.

SELECTION
SELECTION ??
ƒƒ Materials
Materials “TAYLOR MADE”
ƒƒ Additives
Additives

ƒƒ Food
Food product
product
ƒƒ Objective
Objective // requeriments
requeriments
ƒƒ Application
Application method
method // finality
finality

DESIGN
ORIGIN
• Structural matrix
• Protein:
9Biopolimers
9 gelatin, whey protein, zein, etc.
9Lipids • Polysaccharide:
• Plasticizers 9 cellulose, gums, starch, etc.
9< fragile / > flexible • Lipids (Morris et al., 1999).
• Additives 9 waxes, fats, oils
9Technological • By-products, reduce the environmental impact
9Fuctional
 Edible Packaging

Properties
BARRIER
BARRIER SENSORY
Quality
Quality loss
loss // gain
gain components
components Fragile food

Water
Water • Invisible edible casings in meat products enhance quality
Volatile
Volatile components
components (desirable
(desirable or or not)
not) E.g. (collagen-based, Naturin ®, Viscofan).
Solutes (oil, sugars, etc.)
Solutes (oil, sugars, etc.)
.. • Prevention sugar disappear by absorption of water
•• Prevention
Prevention moisture
moisture loss
loss in
in fresh
fresh fruits
fruits to minimize fusion.
(sucrose esters, Seal gum, Spray
(sucrose esters, Seal gum, Spray gumTM©) gumTM©
gumTM ©) E.g. Glazed donuts.
E.g.
E.g. Fresh
Fresh fruit
fruit
•• Reduces
Reduces water
water transfer
transfer from
from the the wet
wet ingredient
ingredient (high
(high aw)
aw) • Alternatives to sushi wraps or Sahimi
to the dry one (low
to the dry one (low aw)aw) (Origami Sushi Wraps ®, NewGemFoodsTM)
E.g.
E.g. Pizza
Pizza
•• Reduces
Reduces oil oil and
and cost
cost during
during frying
frying (calcium
(calcium pectinate
pectinate Fry
Fry Shield
Shield ™
™)) • Healthy substitutes to “tortilla” to wrap burritos
E.g.
E.g. Fried
Fried fish
fish E. g. (GemWraps ®).

GASES TRANSFER MECHANICAL

Suitable atmosphere inside pack Improve handling, texture, protec friction
• Anaerobic environment, undesirable changes.
E.g. Fruits, vegetables
• Impermeable (O2) • Food coated with chocolate, shellac (shellac)
Products rich in fat, oxidation of lipids E.g. M&M®
M&M®, Lacasitos®
Lacasitos®)
E.g. Fat fish, nuts, etc.
• Opaque “Chocolate melts in your mouth, not in your hand”
hand”
Light, (UV) activates oxidation. (M&M ®, 1954).
 Edible Packaging

Properties

CARRIER
CARRIER
Vehicle
Vehicle for
for active
active // bioactive
bioactive compounds
compounds Probiotics Lignin

•• Active
Active // bioactive
bioactive compounds
compounds (antimicrobials
(antimicrobials and
and antioxidants)
antioxidants)
E.g. Extend shelf- life in highly perishable fish products.
E.g. Extend shelf-life in highly perishable fish products.

•• Compounds Clove
Compounds // organisms
organisms with
with bioactive
bioactive properties
properties
E.g.
E.g. To
To improve
improve storage,
storage, to
to provide
provide benefits
benefits

ADHESIVE
Maintain the structural integrity of products

• Substitutes for natural casings in the production of meat products

products (sausage).
E.g. Collagen casing

• Join different components together as a glue for bonding

E.g. Cereal snacks.

• Decorative container (distinguishes the presentation of dishes in restaurants), “Nouvel cuisine”

cuisine”
Film can trap certain compounds (eg., herbs).
 Edible Packaging

Characterization
Changes
Changes with
with components,
components, structure
structure and
and composition
composition of
of food
food

MECHANICAL
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
PROPERTIES WATER VAPOUR PERMEABILITY
Tensile
Tensile strength
strength (TS)
(TS)
Elongation
Elongation at
at break
break (EB)
(EB)

WATER RESISTANCE
SOLUBILITY

RELEASE ACTIVE COMPOUND

ACTIVE PROPERTIES

(antioxidant, antimicrobial, etc).

 Edible Packaging
Additives

Active: increase the functional properties of edible packaging which, improve food
quality and safety (antioxidant, antimicrobial)

Bioactive: leads to healthier foods, impact on the health of consumers (vitamins,

dietary fiber, phytochemicals, prebiotics, probiotics).

• The active/bioactive agents incorporated to the formulation

9Release
9Exert their biological action
Problems:
hinder / interacts with components of the formulation and / or food.

Selection:
• Effectiveness against target microorganisms
• Interactions active ingredient and biopolymer/food components
• Safe (nontoxic) and from natural sources
 Edible Packaging

Why active
Why active edible
edible packaging
packaging is
is used?
used?

Located effect.
Located effect. No
No increment
increment [active]
[active] compound
compound
Gradual release,
Gradual release, controlled
controlled diffusion
diffusion
Protect the
Protect the active
active compound
compound against
against food
food // environmet
environmet interactions
interactions

Spoilage control
Antimicrobial
Antimicrobial

Packages Microorganisms

Pathogens
 Case Study

Clove Fennel Cypress Lavender Thyme H. cross Pine Rosemary Chloramph.

Salmonella cholerasuis +++ + ++ +++ ++ ++ - +++ +++

Lactobacillus acidophilus +++ ++ ++ ++ ++ ++ - ++ +++

Listeria innocua +++ - + + + + - ++ +++

Citrobacter freundii +++ - - + - - - + +++

Escherichia coli +++ ++ - ++ + - - ++ +++

Shigella sonnei +++ ++ ++ ++ + - - +++ +++

Pseudomonas aeruginosa - - - - - - - - -

Yersinia enterocolitica ++ - - + + + - +++ +

B. thermosphacta +++ + + + + + + + +++

Staphylococcus aureus +++ + +++ +++ ++ ++ ++ +++ +++

Bacillus cereus +++ ++ +++ +++ ++ ++ ++ +++ +++

Listeria monocytogenes + - + + + + + + +++

Clostridium perfringens +++ ++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++

Aeromonas hydrophila +++ ++ ++ ++ ++ ++ + +++ +++

Shewanella putrefaciens +++ ++ +++ +++ ++ ++ + + +++

Pseudomonas fluorescens - - - - - - - - -

Vibrio parahaemolyticus +++ ++ + ++ ++ + ++ ++ +++

P. phosphoreum +++ ++ - ++ +++ +++ ++ +++ +++

Fish inoculum(*) +++ - - - +++ + - ++ +++

What
Whatbacteria
bacteriaisisthe
themost
mostsensitive
sensitive??
 Case Study

Films Clove essential

oil

Film
0.75 ml/g

Gelatin from
cod waste
Plastificants
(glycerol / sorbitol)

FILMS
9 Gelatin
9 Gelatina-Chitosan
9 Gelatin-Clove
9 Gelatin-Chitosan clove BHIA

Do
Dothe
theessential
essentialoils
oilsmaintain
maintainthe
theactivity
activityin
inthe
thefilms ?
films?
 Case Study

Films Clove essential

oil

Film
0.75 ml/g

Gelatin from
cod waste
Plastificants
(glycerol / sorbitol)

Inhibition Zone

108 cfu/ml
BHIA
Antimicrobial Activity

Do
Dothe
theessential
essentialoils
oilsmaintain
maintainthe
theactivity
activityin
inthe
thefilms?
films?
Case Study

Films
P. fluorescens L. acidophilus L. innocua E. Coli
CECT 378 CECT 903 CECT 910 CECT 515
0 0 0 0
Gelatin
a/x a/x a/x a/x
0 0 0 0
Gelatin+chitosan
a/x a/x a/x a/x
5.93±0.02 10.55±0.46 6.38±0.02 9.95±0.72
Gelatin+clove
b/x c/y b/x c/y
Gelatin+chitosan+ 6.02±0.08 7.91±0.79 6.04±0.77 6.49±0.42
clove b/x b/x b/x b/x

Fish
FishGelatin
Gelatin
9 Solubility determines release of antimicrobial compounds
9 Solubility determines release of antimicrobial compounds
9 G+Ch+C<G+C
9 G+Ch+C<G+C
9 Clove: interaction protein-polyphenols.
9 Clove: interaction protein-polyphenols.
 Case Study

Total viable count Pseudomonas spp. Lactic acid bacteria

10 10 8
9 9 7
8 8

Log CFU/g

Log CFU/g
6
Log CFU/g

7 7
6 C 6 C 5 C
5 5 4
CF CF CF
4 4
3 3
3
2 2 2
0 3 6 9 12 0 3 6 9 12 0 3 6 9 12
days days days

SH 2 producers microorganisms Enterobacteriaceae

10
9 8
8 7
7 6
Log CFU/g

Log CFU/g
6 5
5 C 4 C
4 3
3 CF CF
2 2
1 1
0 0
0 3 6 9 12 0 3 6 9 12
days
Eugenol days

Clove
Clovefilms
filmsapplied
appliedto
tocod
codduring
duringstorage
storage(2±1 ººC)
(2±1 C)
Case Study

Films + fish

104 – 105
cfu/g

8,0

7,0 Total viable count

Log CFU/g

6,0
salmon
5,0

4,0
salmon + film
3,0
0 3 6 9 12
days

Clove
Clovefilms
filmsapplied
appliedto
tosalmon
salmonduring
duringstorage
storage(2 ±1 ººC)
(2±1 C)
Case Study

Films + fish

104 – 105
cfu/g

salmón

salmon salmon + film

salmón + film

Clove
Clovefilms
filmsapplied
appliedto
tosalmon
salmonduring
duringstorage
storage(2 ±1 ººC)
(2±1 C)
 Case Study

Agar
Agar film
film ++ probiotics
probiotics (L.
(L. acidophilus
acidophilus and B. bifidum 1099 cfu
bifidum)) 10 /g.
cfu/g.

• “SSO” (103-104 cfu/g)

• S. putrefaciens
• P. phosphoreum

Luminiscent colonies Total viable bacteria H2S-producing microoganisms

H H
H

HF HF H

HFB HF
HFB

Days Days Days

 Case Study

Agar
Agar films
films ++ probiótics (L.
probiótics (L. acidophilus
acidophilus and
and B.
B. bifidum 1099 cfu
bifidum)) 10 /g.
cfu/g.

Total mesophilic flora Lactic acid bacteria

H H

HF HF

HFB HFB

Days Days

Enterobacteriaceae Pseudomonas sp.

H H

HF HF

HFB HFB

Days
Days
 Case Study

Agar
Agar films
films ++ probiótics (L.
probiótics (L. acidophilus
acidophilus and
and B.
B. bifidum 1099 cfu
bifidum)) 10 /g.
cfu/g.

Total mesophilic flora Lactic acid bacteria

H H

HF HF

HFB HFB

•• Films
Films ++bacteria
Days bacteriainhibited
inhibited““SSO”
SSO” and
andEnterobacteriaceae
Days
Enterobacteriaceae
••Enterobacteriaceae
Reduce
Reducebiochemical
biochemicalspoilage
spoilageindexes
indexes
Pseudomonas sp.
•• No
Nomodified
modifiedcolorcolor H H

HF HF

HFB HFB

Days
Days
 Edible Packaging

Active edible packaging Potential

ACTIVE COMPOUNDS
active/bioactive
effect

Food If pass or consumed

Food
with food

Packaging consumed
Structural changes
Digestibility
Release active compounds Bioaccesibility
during GI digestion Bioavalability

“In vitro” /  “in vivo” studies Potential positive effect

s
 Edible Packaging

Legislation
Films and coatings can be considered as food, food ingredients, food additives, food contact
substances or food packaging. Therefore, these products must be regulated according to the
function.
www.efsa.europa.es

• Food or food ingredient

Safe substances, suitable for food use (food grade) and nontoxic.
Good Manufacturing Practices
European Food Safety Authorit (EFSA)
http: www.eur-lex.europa.en/354200812331en00160033.en

• Active package
Active and intelligent materials and articles intended for contact with food (Commission Regulation
(EC) No. 450/2009) to prolong life or to maintain or improve the condition of packaged food. They
are designed to deliberately incorporate components that would release chemicals in the packaged
food or the environment surrounding the food or absorb substances or their environment. Only
considers the active packaging that is not consumed and is in contact with food.
http: www.eur-lex.europe.en/13520090530en00030011.en

• Labelling
Ingredients which cause health problems. Presence of allergens should be indicated.
 Edible Packaging

Edible Packaging

TODAY

9 Many research studies ongoing

9 Still looking for the “perfect” ingredient
9 CHALLENGE

¾ Do not replace conventional plastics

¾ Intermediate between food and the final packaging
¾ Contribute to the stability Æ increase shelf life.
¾ Trend: to use it as coadyuvant to refrigeration in combined treatment
(barrier technologies).
 Edible Packaging

Thank you for your attention!

elvira.lopez@ictan.csic.es