Food Safety Magazine, February/March 2013

PACKAGINGBy Giovanna Buonocore, Ph.D., and Salvatore Iannace, Ph.D.Molecular and SupramolecularDesign for Active and EdiblePackaging SystemsNew advances in foodpackaging design oncutting edgeTo the average consumer, food packaging issimply the enclosure of a food product in aplastic pouch, a metal can or a glass bottle. Toa scientist or engineer, however, food packagingis a rather technical matter. It is a coordinatedsystem designed for the efficient delivery of high-quality,safe food products throughout every phase of the supplychain. 1Primary packaging has a great influence on food qualityand safety. It can be considered a four-componentsystem: the food, the internal environment, the packageand the external environment. A good understanding ofthe interactions between these components is necessaryto design the food package. Interactions between thefood and the internal environment are the most importantfactors, since the rate of food deterioration under theconditions of the internal environment frequently governsthe shelf life of the package. The package representsa protection of the food against negative effects fromthe external environment. It often serves as a barrier todelay the ingress of moisture or oxygen from the externalenvironment, thereby extending the shelf life of foodsthat are sensitive to moisture and oxygen. Interactionsbetween food and package may be desirable or not.Desirable interactions include active packaging systemsthat will be described in detail below, whereas undesirableinteractions include migration of undesirable packagingcomponents to the food. 1In recent years, several technologies have receivedgreat attention due to their innovativeand challenging characteristics, such as:1) active packaging, 2) bio-based/ediblematerials, 3) intelligent packaging and 4)high-barrier materials. We give here anoverview of the general concepts regardingactive packaging systems, edible coatingsand films, and we present severalrecent research advancements that coulddrive the transition toward more efficientand innovative systems based on the useof novel concepts of macromoleculardesign. The control of hierarchical structuresfrom molecular levels to nano- andmicroscale through the control of theinteractions and assembling behavior ofmolecules and compounds will permitdevelopment of materials with advancedand smart functionalities as well as materialsable to interact with and respondto external stimuli, thus improving theefficiency of the packaging system.Active PackagingActive packaging has been defined assystems in which the product, the packageand the environment interact in apositive way to extend the food’s shelflife or to achieve some characteristic ofthe food that cannot be obtained otherwise.Active systems are usually obtainedby embedding into the packaging materialsactive compounds that absorb substancesfrom the environment surroundingthe food or that are released fromthe packaging into the food. Among theseveral active systems, interesting andchallenging materials are those able torelease active compounds such as antimicrobialsor antioxidants into the food. Inthis respect, the aim of controlled-releasesystems intended for food packagingapplications is to optimize the amountof active compounds released from thepolymeric carrier into the food to delayor inhibit the mechanisms responsiblefor the degradation of the packed foodstuff.EU Regulations 1935/2004 and32 F o o d S a f e t y M a g a z i n e