Active And Intelligent Packaging Innova
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Active and Intelligent Packaging: Innovations for the Future
By Karleigh Huff
Graduate Student
Department of Food Science and Technology
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech)
Blacksburg, Va
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Introduction
Food packaging exists to make our lives easier. We need packaging to contain foods, protect foods from the outside environment, for convenience, and to communicate information to consumers about the food inside the package. Containment is the most basic function of a package. Even fresh produce, which is displayed unpackaged at the store, must be transported out of the store in some type of container. Packaging provides protection of food from adulteration by water, gases, microorganisms, dust, and punctures, to name a few. A food package communicates important information about the product, how to prepare it, and information about the nutritional content. Packaging also allows for consumers to enjoy food the way they want, at their convenience. Food packages can be geared toward a persons own lifestyle through designs like portability and single serving dishes. Although traditional packaging covers the basic needs of food containment, advances in food packaging are both anticipated and expected. Society is becoming increasingly complex and innovative packaging is the result of consumers ' demand for packaging that is more advanced and creative than what is currently offered.
Active packaging and intelligent packaging are the result of innovating thinking in packaging.
Defining Active Packaging and Intelligent Packaging
To understand what active and intelligent packaging have to offer the world of packaging, it is important to clarify what each phrase means. Active packaging is accurately defined as “packaging in which subsidiary constituents have been deliberately included in or on either the packaging material or the package headspace to enhance the performance of the package system” (Robertson,
Active and Intelligent Packaging: Innovations for the Future
By Karleigh Huff
Graduate Student
Department of Food Science and Technology
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech)
Blacksburg, Va
2
Introduction
Food packaging exists to make our lives easier. We need packaging to contain foods, protect foods from the outside environment, for convenience, and to communicate information to consumers about the food inside the package. Containment is the most basic function of a package. Even fresh produce, which is displayed unpackaged at the store, must be transported out of the store in some type of container. Packaging provides protection of food from adulteration by water, gases, microorganisms, dust, and punctures, to name a few. A food package communicates important information about the product, how to prepare it, and information about the nutritional content. Packaging also allows for consumers to enjoy food the way they want, at their convenience. Food packages can be geared toward a persons own lifestyle through designs like portability and single serving dishes. Although traditional packaging covers the basic needs of food containment, advances in food packaging are both anticipated and expected. Society is becoming increasingly complex and innovative packaging is the result of consumers ' demand for packaging that is more advanced and creative than what is currently offered.
Active packaging and intelligent packaging are the result of innovating thinking in packaging.
Defining Active Packaging and Intelligent Packaging
To understand what active and intelligent packaging have to offer the world of packaging, it is important to clarify what each phrase means. Active packaging is accurately defined as “packaging in which subsidiary constituents have been deliberately included in or on either the packaging material or the package headspace to enhance the performance of the package system” (Robertson,
References: Anonymous. 2007. Smart packaging: coming to a store near you. Food Engineering & Ingredients. 32:2023 De Jong, A.R., Boumans, H., Slaghek, T., Van Veen, J., Rijk, R. and Van Zandvoort, M. 2005. Active and intelligent packaging for food: is it the future? 22:975979 Gander, P. 2007. The smart money is on intelligent design. Food Manufacture Feb: xvxvi Hurme, E., SipilainenMalm, T., and Ahvenainen, R. 2002. Active and intelligent packaging. In Minimal Processing Technologies in the Food Industry. Ohlsson, T. and Bengtsson, N. CRC Press, Boca Raton, Fl. Chap. 5 Robertson, G. L. 2006. Active and intelligent packaging. In Food packaging: principles and practice— Yam, K.L. 2000. Intelligent packaging for the future smart kitchen. Packaging Technology and Science. 13:8385 Yam, K. L., Takhistov, P. T., and Miltz, J. 2005. Intelligent packaging: concepts and applications. Journal of Food Science. 70: R1R10