Chapter 14 - Nanotechnology applications for quality determination of RTE and packaged food

Abstract

Ready-to-eat (RTE) and packaged foods have gained popularity and have become an integral part of our daily life. The quality of RTE and packaged foods need to be maintained carefully to avoid any chance of foodborne illness. The probability of foodborne illness can be lowered by careful and real-time surveillance of quality during the supply chain. There are various technologies available such as active packaging, intelligent packaging, etc. which inform the customers about food quality. The technological advancement in the field of nanotechnology such as nanosensors and biosensors has permitted their use in determining food quality. Nanosensor systems such as indicator sensors, time-temperature, and oxygen indicators help to monitor the freshness and quality of food products. Such sensing technologies usually work by focusing on gas production, temperature, and microbial growth within the food package. To monitor the changes, sensors are incorporated inside the food package. All these kind of packaging not only enhances the shelf life but also helps to keep the food clean and protected from the external environment. Nanosensors help for detecting toxins, vitamins, fertilizers, dyes, smell, and even taste. In this chapter, various techniques which are having a great future for ensuring the quality, safety, and well-being of food after packaging are discussed. The technologies reviewed in this chapter have a great budding future in the food packaging field which helps in the real-time monitoring of food.