Chapter 9 - Natural active components in smart food packaging system

Abstract

Food safety is an important fundamental of the food industry. Most recent research in the food industry centers at ensuring products safety and consumers security. One such area of research interest in the food sector is applying emerging technologies, including the development of novel food packaging materials for food safety enhancement. Smart packages hold fascinating potentials to ensure the safety of food products by inhibiting foodborne microorganisms or oxidative degradation of food and serving as information sources for food consumers. However, it is important to be certain of the toxicological profile of components used as active ingredients of food packages. Natural products, due to their safety and compatibility with biological tissues and cells, are regarded as safe. Moreover, several studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of natural products, including polyphenols, microbial cells, and metabolites, as well as bacteriophages and phage endolysins. This chapter discusses smart food packages, types of smart packages, and the role of natural products as active components in intelligent and active packaging designs.