Study of the structure/properties relationship of nanomaterials for development of novel food packaging

AGUSTÍN GONZÁLEZ; CINTIA BELÉN CONTRERAS; CECILIA I. ALVAREZ IGARZABAL; MIRIAM STRUMIA

Nanotechnology in Food Industry Vol: VII

Elsevier

Lugar: Amsterdam; Año: 2016; p. 265 - 289

Modern food packaging has made great advances as result of global trends and consumer preferences in the last years. These advances oriented to obtain improved food quality and safeties are in progress with the development of the nanoscience and nanotechnology as new frontiers of this century. Therefore, they can address these requirements and extend and implement the principal packaging functions like containment, protection and preservation, marketing and communication.Applications of polymer nanotechnology offer several perspectives for new food packaging materials. This chapter provides an overview of the latest innovations in food packaging based on polymer nanomaterials focusing in two main objectives: one of them is about the improvement of the mechanical and barrier properties of the material, and the other one, on the functional properties oriented to the preparation of active and intelligent food packaging. In addition, the use of different type of nanoparticles to the development of new nano-sized components to enhance the global properties of synthetic polymers and biopolymers for food packaging are reviewed.In the other hand, nanotechnology developments targeting to active packaging applications (including antimicrobial, oxygen scavenging, and shelf-life extension of food) and to the development of intelligent packaging with enhanced communication function, focusing mainly on oxygen, humidity and freshness indicators are presented.Finally, futures perspectives of nanotechnology in food packaging applications are discussed.