New Food Packaging Systems

Abstract

Abstract The increasing consumer demand for safe, minimally processed, and extended shelf life high-quality foods has stimulated the search for innovation in the area of food packaging. Companies need to adapt and find ways to improve their productivity, taking also into account the environmental impact of their new solutions. Active packaging is one of the new food packaging systems that may use biodegradable materials; importantly, the packaging interacts with the food product, changing its conditions, increasing its shelf life, safety, and quality, or improving its sensory characteristics. Intelligent packaging is another innovative food-packaging system that uses sensors and/or devices to monitor the food products and display the relevant information, improving product safety, and extending its shelf life. This chapter discusses active and intelligent food-packaging systems, including the film-forming materials and methods used to develop each package, its design, the relevant physical and mechanical properties, and finally, the types of food that benefit more from using such packaging systems.