Advanced Packaging Technology for Improved Delivery of Edible Packaged Products

Abstract

The advanced packaging technology helps in delivering value-added edible coated food products with superior quality, where the inclusion of proper packaging solutions such as secondary packaging and applied packaging technology helps in the continuous supply chain of food products. The chapter is mainly focused to discuss the several prospects and strategies of applied packaging systems such as modified atmospheric packaging (MAP), controlled atmospheric packaging (CAP), active packaging, and smart packaging. Additionally, the applied packaging technology offers new prospects in enhancing food trade markets without any external damage, while maintaining the hygiene conditions. However, the several strategies to maintain the quality and product life of high perishable food products include passive MAP, active MAP, high-oxygen MAP, controlled MAP, and intelligent MAP. Additionally, the agricultural produces commonly have high respiration rates, high ethylene biosynthesis, and prone to water loss, which occur due to environmental factors, thus, are suggested to package using advanced MAP approaches. The advanced MAP approaches help to reduce ripening, where, the oxygen and carbon dioxide gaseous concentration within the headspace should be obtained in the shortest time period to extend the shelf life of food products. Further, the strategies applied in CAP based packaging technology are oxygen control systems (external gas generator, gas separator systems, liquid nitrogen atmospheric generators), carbon dioxide control systems and ethylene control systems. On the other hand, the active packaging is another kind of emerging packaging technology used for keeping product quality of food products with prolonged shelf life. The active packaging involves the use of several active compounds such as antioxidants, essential oils, chitosan and nanochitosan (a category of biopolymers), flavorings, etc. to attain the active functionality of packaging. The smart or intelligent packaging is another packaging technology, which provides the information to consumers and producers about the product status without deteriorating the package, where the smart levels of packaging sense the product properties or the package environment during storage and transportation.