Abstract
This paper offers a general view of the solutions that are able to confer bioactivity to the packaging materials, especially antimicrobial and antioxidant activity. These properties can be induced by the nature of the polymers blend or due to the addition of ternary components from natural agents (essential oils or other extracts) to synthetic organic and inorganic agents, including nanoparticles with a broad antimicrobial activity such as metals (e.g., Ag, Au, Cu) or metal oxide (e.g., TiO2, ZnO) nanoparticles, and even bacterial cells such as probiotics. Many times, these components are synergistically used, each of them assuring a specific role or potentiating the role of the other components. The antimicrobial activity can be induced due to the applied coatings or due to the whole bulk material. Along with an increasing food stability which means a longer shelf-life some smart packaging can be exploited in order to highlight the freshness of the food. These act as a sensor (usually pH sensitive but also other mechanisms can be exploited such as aggregation/agglomeration of AuNPs leading to color change or even aldehyde-specific reactions such as the Cannizzaro reaction), and thus, consumers can be confident about the freshness of the food, especially perishable food such as seafood or fish.
Highlights
Worldwide, approximately 33% of the food production made for human consumption gets lost or wasted
It is important to mention that a wide range of biological active agents, synthetic and natural agents are increasingly used in order to develop drug delivery systems or antimicrobial surfaces, and this technology is slowly directed to create bioactive food packaging materials [3,5,11,12,13,14,15]
We will discuss the polymeric supports used in developing food packaging and the obtaining of nanocomposites loaded with nanoparticles and biological active agents in order to induce specific properties and performances
Summary
Approximately 33% of the food production made for human consumption gets lost or wasted. The mechanical, electrical, thermal, optical, and electrochemical properties of these nanostructured materials will differ significantly from those of the component materials These are essential for assuring the expected shelf life, food quality, and safety parameters [1,2]. It is important to mention that a wide range of biological active agents, synthetic and natural agents (essential oils and natural extracts) are increasingly used in order to develop drug delivery systems or antimicrobial surfaces, and this technology is slowly directed to create bioactive food packaging materials [3,5,11,12,13,14,15]. We will discuss the polymeric supports used in developing food packaging and the obtaining of nanocomposites loaded with nanoparticles and biological active agents (natural and synthetic agents) in order to induce specific properties and performances. From the point of view of the antimicrobial activity, four main classes will be discussed according to the mechanism of inducing bioactivity
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
