International Journal of Research and Innovation in Applied Science (IJRIAS) | Volume VII, Issue VII, July 2022 | ISSN 2454–6194
Trends in Smart Packaging Technologies for Sustainable Monitoring of Food Quality and Safety
K.G. Kaushani1, N. L. Rathnasinghe1, N. Katuwawila2, R.A Jayasinghe3, A.H.L.R. Nilmini1, G. Priyadarshana1,*
1Department of Materials and Mechanical Technology, Faculty of Technology, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Homagama, Sri Lanka
2Faculty of Science, National School of Business Management, Mahenwatte, Pitipana, Homagama, Sri Lanka
3Department of Civil and Environmental Technology, Faculty of Technology, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Homagama, Sri Lanka
Abstract: Food packaging has a significant impact on food preservation, thus prolonging the shelf-life and maintaining sustainable food quality and safety throughout the food supply chain and even during storage. Consumer desire for reliable, sustainable, organic, healthy, and unique products with “clean” labeling has risen as a result of technological advancement. Food packaging innovation is mainly described by the advancement of smart packaging technologies such as active and intelligent packaging. Active packaging is the use of active ingredients in more sustainable packaging materials to expand storability while ensuring product safety and quality. Intelligent packaging systems are developing to become more economical, efficient, and integrated matrices to deliver new packaging ideas that maintain the state of the packed food to deliver information on the product quality during shipping and storage. This review will provide a detailed overview of recent significant advancements and trends in the evolution of smart packaging.
Keywords: Sustainable, Safety, Smart packaging, Shelf-life, Intelligent packaging
I.INTRODUCTION
Food packaging is aimed to give food items consistent quality and long shelf life through containment, storage, communication, transportation, marketing, efficiency, and end-use [1]. It functions as a shield against the surrounding environment, preserving food safety and quality from the supplier to the end-user. Packaging usually includes details regarding the composition of food, nutrient profile, storage guidelines, calorie count, labels, manufacturer, expiry dates, type of materials, structure, reliability, color, and volume of the substance, etc. [2], [3]. Furthermore, packaging may be used to detect and communicate the changes in the physicochemical properties (e.g., respiration, pH changes, oxidation, discoloration), microbial infestation, and spoilage [4].
Due to the accumulation of food packaging waste, consumers choose more environmentally friendly, sustainable food packaging alternatives to traditional petroleum-based packaging. In this regard, paper-based packaging is expanding at a compound annual growth rate of 3.41%. Novel methods have been developed to produce lightweight biodegradable packaging materials, eg., the addition of lignin containing micro/nano-fibrillated cellulose into paper [5].