Introduction

Improvement of food quality, shelf life, safety and functionality

Individual packaging material, food coating

material and active ingredient carriers Separate the compartments of heterogeneous ingredients within food Incorporate food additives , such as anti-browning agents, antimicrobial, flavors , colorants Enhanced sensory properties of a food

What are Edible films and Coatings

1.

Any type of material used for enrobing various food to extend shelf life

2. Provide fortification of natural layers to prevent

moisture losses
3. Provide surface sterility and prevent loss of other

important components
4. Its thickness is generally less than 0.3mm

Regulatory Status
Ingredients acceptable for use in edible films and

coatings should be GRAS Food and Drug Administration(FDA) Current Good Manufacturing Practice(cGMP) Nutraceutical incorporation , specific regulation regarding its use must be applied Coating containing a known allergen must also be clearly labeled

Edible Films and Coatings as Carriers of Flavors, Colorants and Spices

Deliver and maintain desirable concentrations of color,

flavor, spiciness, sweetness, saltiness etc.

Pullulan films can be used to entrap flavors and colors

and to stabilize other active ingredients within the film

Edible Films and Coatings Carrying Nutraceuticals

Enhance nutritional value of food product Milk protein-based edible films to carry high concentration of calcium and vitamin E Edible coating carrying nutraceutical compounds has also been studied with fruits(Strawberries, red raspberries)

Edible Films and Coatings to carry Antimicrobial Agents

Active compounds, such as antimicrobials , can be incorporated into edible films and coating Provide a novel means by which to improve safety and shelf life of food systems
Antimicrobial edible films can reduce bacterial levels on meat product

Edible Films and Coatings to Carry Antioxidant Agents

Antioxidants are used to protect against oxidative

rancidity , degradation and enzymatic browning in fruits and vegetables

Anti-browning agents may increase water vapour

transmission rate and induce water loss when incorporated into film and coating

Components of the Film Matrix

Plasticizers:
Plasticizers are used to modify

Surfactant:
Surfactants may be used to

mechanical properties of films and coatings Physicochemical and barrier properties of polymeric networks are affected by plasticizer concentration and molecular weight, water content of the film and strength and type of polymer-polymer, polymer-plasticizer interaction

stabilize the dispersed phase in a polymeric solution prior to applying it to food surface Emulsifiers are selected for use based on their HLB and PIT

Nanotechnology as a tool for Food Production and Processing

Industry analysts predict that nanotechnology will be

used to transform food from the atom Nanotechnology will be an important tool in food designing by shaping molecules and atoms Food and agriculture industries invests billions of dollars into nanotechnology research with an unknown number of unlabeled nano food products already on the market The Helmut Kaiser Cosultancy Group suggests that there are over 300 nano food products available in the market worldwide

Create better packaging and healthier foods

Nano-materials provides the ability to deliver powerful nutrients to human cells where they previously could not reach
a) b) c) Fortification and modification of food Interactive designing smart food

The key role of nanotechnology in food research

Innovations in food packaging and tracking

Fortification and modification of food

To fortify processed food with nano-encapsulated nutrients,Its appearance , and taste

Increase the nutritional status in a given processed food Also enabled junk foods like ice cream and chocolate to be modified to reduce the amount of fats and sugar that the body can absorb

Interactive smart food designing

To personalize food, changing colour , flavour or

nutrients on demand Also sense when an individual is allergic to a foods ingredients and block the offending ingredient Smart packaging could release a dose of additional nutrients

Innovation in food packaging and tracking

In the area of modern packaging an invisible, edible, nano wrapper has already been developed
Use of nano-sensors and anti-microbial activators

in smart packaging will be capable of detecting food spoilage and releasing nano anti-microbes Nano-sensors embedded into food products as tiny chips

Threats of nanotechnology in food

Nanoparticles are more reactive, more mobile , and more likely than larger particles to be toxic to humans and the environment Many types of nano-particles can result in increased oxidative stress which can result in the formation of free radical

Fullerenes, carbon nano-particles, have found to cause brain damage

References
WWW.wikipedia.com
Books.google.co.in

Nanotechnology -the new opportunities and thread to

food by V.P.Sigh and Neelam Sachan