​

What is active packaging in food industry ?
 

1. Active packaging is a type of food packaging that interacts with the food or its environment to extend its shelf life or improve its safety and quality. It can help maintain freshness, control moisture, prevent microbial growth, and even release preservatives or antimicrobials to the food.

2. Active “Smart” packaging can extend the shelf life of products by incorporating various technologies that help to monitor and control the environment within the packaging. For example, some smart packaging can use Antioxidants to reduce the amount of oxygen inside the package, which can slow down the growth of bacteria and fungi that cause spoilage.
    

What is the challenge? How to extend product shelf life?
 

1. Food products spoil due to the growth of microorganisms such as bacteria, yeast, and fungi.

2. These microorganisms break down the food components and produce waste products that can cause off-flavors, odors, and texture changes.

3. Exposure to oxygen and light can cause oxidation and degradation of certain components in the food, leading to spoilage.

4. Improper use of temperature, such as improper storage or transportation, can also accelerate the growth of microorganisms and cause food to spoil more quickly.
    

The Solution? 
 

Diffusion of natural astaxanthin from a monolayer low-density polyethylene film and a two-layer high-density polyethylene/low-density polyethylene film.
 

1. qLow-density polyethylene (LDPE) is the most widely used single polymer in food packaging. LDPE provides a good barrier against water but a low barrier toward oxygen (Robertson, 2012).

2. Food products susceptible to oxidation will be exposed to oxygen when contained in LDPE packaging. Adding antioxidants to control the product of oxidative reactions indirectly compensates for the effects Caused by oxygen entering a package.

3. The packaging itself might be the source of antioxidants in active  Packaging. Antioxidant-active packaging may be able to prevent or slow the oxidation of easily oxidable food components.

 

 

 

​

​

​

​

​