Copper-based nanoparticles for biopolymer-based functional films in food packaging applications

This review summarizes the latest developments in the design, fabrication, and application of various Cu-based nanofillers to prepare biopolymer-based functional packaging films, focusing on the effects of inorganic nanoparticles on the optical, mechanical, gas barrier properties, moisture sensitivity, and functional properties of the films. In addition, the potential application of Cu-based nanoparticle-added biopolymer films for fresh food preservation and the effect of nanoparticle migration on food safety were discussed. The incorporation of Cu-based nanoparticles improved the film properties with enhanced functional performance. Cu-based nanoparticles such as copper oxide, copper sulfide, copper ions, and copper alloys affect biopolymer-based films differently. The properties of composite films containing Cu-based nanoparticles depend on the concentration of the filler, the state of dispersion, and the interaction of the nanoparticles with the biopolymer matrix in the film. The composite film filled with Cu-based nanoparticles effectively extended the shelf life by maintaining the quality of various fresh foods and securing safety. However, studies on the migration characteristics and safety of copper-based nanoparticle food packaging films are currently being conducted on plastic-based films such as polyethylene, and research on bio-based films is limited.     

A critical review on biodegradable food packaging for meat: Materials,sustainability, regulations,and perspectives in the EU

The development of biodegradable packaging is a challenge, as conventional plastics have many advantages in terms of high flexibility, transparency, low cost, strong mechanical characteristics, and high resistance to heat compared with most biodegradable plastics. The quality of biodegradable materials and the research needed for their improvement for meat packaging were critically evaluated in this study. In terms of sustainability, biodegradable packagings are more sustainable than conventional plastics; however, most of them contain unsustainable chemical additives. Cellulose showed a high potential for meat preservation due to high moisture control. Polyhydroxyalkanoates and polylactic acid (PLA) are renewable materials that have been recently introduced to the market, but their application in meat products is still limited. To be classified as an edible film, the mechanical properties and acceptable control over gas and moisture exchange need to be improved. PLA and cellulose-based films possess the advantage of protection against oxygen and water permeation; however, the addition of functional substances plays an important role in their effects on the foods. Furthermore, the use of packaging materials is increasing due to consumer demand for natural high-quality food packaging that serves functions such as extended shelf-life and contamination protection. To support the importance moving toward biodegradable packaging for meat, this review presented novel perspectives regarding ecological impacts, commercial status, and consumer perspectives. Those aspects are then evaluated with the specific consideration of regulations and perspective in the European Union (EU) for employing renewable and ecological meat packaging materials. This review also helps to highlight the situation regarding biodegradable food packaging for meat in the EU specifically.     

淀粉基抗菌食品包装膜的研究进展

随着全球环保意识的提升,以来源广、可再生、成本低的淀粉为原料制备的淀粉基抗菌包装膜取代传统石油基包装材料的研究受到了广泛的关注。淀粉基抗菌膜通常是以天然淀粉/改性淀粉为原料加入塑化剂和抑菌剂并经热加工制备,其中抑菌剂的性质是决定抗菌膜抑菌活性的关键因素。此外,淀粉基抗菌膜的制备方法和材料性能也受到抑菌剂的来源和性质的影响。本文综述了基于不同抑菌剂制备的淀粉基抗菌膜的材料性能和抑菌活性,并提出在未来仍需研究安全性高、材料性能好和抑菌能力强的淀粉基抗菌材料,以期为开发绿色环保、性能优异的淀粉聚合物基抗菌食品包装材料提供指导。     

Nanofibre-based bilayer biopolymer films: enhancement of antioxidant activity and potential for food packaging application

This study aimed to enhance the antioxidant property of biopolymer film without the incorporation of external agents. The active bilayer film with improved antioxidant activity has been developed by electrospinning zein, a prolamine of corn as nanofibre (average diameter of 286 nm) on solvent cast chitosan film. Zein nanofibres exhibited a slight increase in antioxidant activity as compared to solvent cast zein film. But, zein nanofibre coating on chitosan films significantly improved its antioxidant activity from 12.41% to 44.17%. The developed bilayer films were evaluated for its ability to prevent browning in minimally processed apple slices and compared with those of chitosan and zein films plasticised with polyethylene glycol. Higher surface to volume ratio and better affinity of zein nanofibres in the bilayer film helped enhance its anti-browning ability. Thus, zein nanofibre-coated chitosan bilayer films can be used as an effective anti-browning packaging material for the packing of minimally processed fruits.     

丝素蛋白再生医学材料对细胞功能调控的研究进展

丝素蛋白是重要的天然生物高分子材料,具有出色的机械性能、生物相容性、生物降解性,易于化学修饰等特性,成为再生医学研究中重要的生物材料.近年来,基于丝素蛋白的再生医学材料在骨、皮肤、神经、胰岛等组织修复和再生医学中被广泛应用研究,丝素蛋白材料对细胞功能调控作用逐渐被阐明并成为其指导设计和构建医用丝素蛋白材料结构的重要参考...     

可溶性丝素蛋白的功能性质

研究了可溶性丝素蛋白的功能性质。结果表明,丝素蛋白具有表面活性,能降低溶液的表面张力;经高速剪切作用后,丝素蛋白的表面疏水性显著增强;随着丝素蛋白质量浓度的增加,丝素蛋白溶液的乳化性、起泡性均增强,当丝素蛋白质量浓度大于5g/L时乳化能力增幅不明显,当丝素蛋白质量浓度为15g/L时,它的起泡能力最高,质量浓度继续增加至20g/L时其起泡能力下降,当丝素蛋白质量浓度高于15g/L时,泡沫稳定性的增幅变缓;丝素蛋白在pH3～10范围内具有较好的乳化性、起泡性,在pH4时最强。     

Improvement of active chitosan film properties with rosemary essential oil for food packaging

Rosemary essential oil (REO) was used to develop an active film from chitosan. The effects of REO concentration (0.5, 1.0 and 1.5% v/v) on film properties were studied by measuring the physical, mechanical and optical properties of the REO‐loaded films. Scanning electron microscopy and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy were used to study microstructure and the interaction of the chitosan‐based films. The solubility and water gain of the chitosan film decreased about 25% and 85%, respectively, by REO incorporation, up to 1.5% v/v, because of the interaction between hydrophilic groups of chitosan and REO as confirmed by FTIR. It was determined that REO improved the transparency of the films from 4.97 in neat chitosan up to 7.61; moreover, it reduced the films’ light transmission in UV light more than 25%. Films containing REO showed more antibacterial activity and total phenol content. The films containing REO showed potential to be used as active film in food preservation.     

Biopolymer-based antimicrobial packaging: a review

The term antimicrobialpackaging encompasses any packaging technique(s) used to control microbial growth in a food product. These include packaging materials and edible films and coatings that contain antimicrobial agents and also techniques that modify the atmosphere within the package. In recent years, antimicrobial packaging has attracted much attention from the food industry because of the increase in consumer demand for minimally processed, preservative-free products. Reflecting this demand, the preservative agents must be applied to packaging in such away that only low levels of preservatives come into contact with the food. The film or coating technique is considered to be more effective, although more complicated to apply. New antimicrobial packaging materials are continually being developed. Many of them exploit natural agents to control common food-borne microorganisms. Current trends suggest that, in due course, packaging will generally incorporate antimicrobial agents, and the sealing systems will continue to improve. The focus of packaging in the past has been on the appearance, size, and integrity of the package. A greater emphasis on safety features associated with the addition of antimicrobial agents is perhaps the next area for development in packaging technology.     

A review on colorimetric indicators for monitoring product freshness in intelligent food packaging: Indicator dyes,preparation methods,and applications

Intelligent food packaging system exhibits enhanced communication function by providing dynamic product information to various stakeholders (e.g., consumers, retailers, distributors) in the supply chain. One example of intelligent packaging involves the use of colorimetric indicators, which when subjected to external stimuli (e.g., moisture, gas/vapor, electromagnetic radiation, temperature), display discernable color changes that can be correlated with real-time changes in product quality. This type of interactive packaging system allows continuous monitoring of product freshness during transportation, distribution, storage, and marketing phases. This review summarizes the colorimetric indicator technologies for intelligent packaging systems, emphasizing on the types of indicator dyes, preparation methods, applications in different food products, and future considerations. Both food and nonfood indicator materials integrated into various carriers (e.g., paper-based substrates, polymer films, electrospun fibers, and nanoparticles) with material properties optimized for specific applications are discussed, targeting perishable products, such as fresh meat and fishery products. Colorimetric indicators can supplement the traditional “Best Before” date label by providing real-time product quality information to the consumers and retailers, thereby not only ensuring product safety, but also promising in reducing food waste. Successful scale-up of these intelligent packaging technologies to the industrial level must consider issues related to regulatory approval, consumer acceptance, cost-effectiveness, and product compatibility.     

食品包装视觉信息传达

为进一步形成科学的食品包装设计方法,为消费者提供更准确、快速的食品包装信息,文章通过整合国内外相关文献,综合分析了食品包装信息传达的三类关键线索：文字信息、食品意象和跨模态对应,指出文字信息在传达信息过程中更具优势,正面标语更具影响力,而其他详细信息会减少消费者认知偏差。文字更适合表达食品功能,而图片更适合表达感官诉求;其次,包装意象对消费者感知和反应的影响显著,视觉逼真度意味着更健康的选择;消费者对包装上食品的感知会影响其对包装内容物的评价,而跨模态对应研究是包装设计方法走向更科学、具体、精准的重要路径。     

Active food packaging technologies

Active packaging technologies offer new opportunities for the food industry, in the preservation of foods. Important active packaging systems currently known to date, including oxygen scavengers, carbon dioxide emitters/absorbers, moisture absorbers, ethylene absorbers, ethanol emitters, flavor releasing/absorbing systems, time-temperature indicators, and antimicrobial containing films, are reviewed. The principle of operation of each active system is briefly explained. Recent technological advances in active packaging are discussed, and food related applications are presented. The effects of active packaging systems on food quality and safety are cited.     

天然包装材料在食品包装设计中的应用

针对塑料、纸质、金属等食品包装材料各自的弊端和问题,阐述了食品包装材料减量化、单一化、轻型化、无毒无害化发展趋势,指出天然包装材料在食品包装中的应用范围及性能,揭示了天然包装材料的审美价值,提出了天然包装材料的选用原则和应用原则。     

Multilayer packaging: Advances in preparation techniques and emerging food applications

In recent years, with advantages of versatility, functionality, and convenience, multilayer food packaging has gained significant interest. As a single entity, multilayer packaging combines the benefits of each monolayer in terms of enhanced barrier properties, mechanical integrity, and functional properties. Of late, apart from conventional approaches such as coextrusion and lamination, concepts of nanotechnology have been used in the preparation of composite multilayer films with improved physical, chemical, and functional characteristics. Further, emerging techniques such as ultraviolet and cold plasma treatments have been used in manufacturing films with enhanced performance through surface modifications. This work provides an up‐to‐date review on advancements in the preparation of multilayer films for food packaging applications. This includes critical considerations in design, risk of interaction between the package and the food, mathematical modeling and simulation, potential for scale‐up, and costs involved. The impact of in‐package processing is also explained considering cases of nonthermal processing and advanced thermal processing. Importantly, challenges associated with degradability and recycling multilayer packages and associated implications on sustainability have been discussed.     

Use of encapsulated natural compounds as antimicrobial additives in food packaging: A brief review

BackgroundSynthetic chemical preservatives in food can be harmful to human health. These problems have increasingly attracted concern and interest from researchers, which has led to the study and application of non-toxic essential oils with preservative ability in food products and food packaging. A great challenge in this sense is their facile degradation during processing of the food and manufacturing processes during food packing.Scope and approachEncapsulation is an interesting technique to improve the physical-chemical and microbiological stability of these essential oils, as well as to achieve controlled release. This review provides a detailed overview of encapsulation in the food industry, focusing on the application of procedures to encapsulate antimicrobial essential oils.Key findings and conclusionsThis review focuses on recent studies related to nanotechnology and the nano and microencapsulation of essential oils. This study provides valuable insight that may be useful for identifying trends in the commercialization of nanotechnological products or for identifying new research areas. The results published to date confirm that the encapsulation promotes the protection of active compounds, enabling industrial applications of active packaging.     

丙酸钙改性聚乙烯醇包装薄膜性能研究

研究经(0~2.5g/100m L)丙酸钙改性后的聚乙烯醇包装薄膜的各项包装性能和抗菌性能,结果发现,丙酸钙与聚乙烯醇薄膜相容性好,有良好的耐热性,丙酸钙的添加增加了薄膜的抗拉强度,降低了薄膜的断裂伸长率,影响了其光学性能,增加了薄膜的水蒸气透过系数、溶胀率和溶解率,提高了薄膜的热封温度。添加量为2.5g/100m L的丙酸钙改性薄膜对蜡样芽孢杆菌、大肠杆菌、米曲霉菌产生了一定的抑菌效果。经丙酸钙改性后的聚乙烯醇薄膜有良好的包装性能和一定的抑菌性,可以作为一种新型的食品内包装材料。      

Trends in the use of natural antioxidants in active food packaging: a review

The demand for natural antioxidant active packaging is increasing due to its unquestionable advantages compared with the addition of antioxidants directly to the food. Therefore, the search for antioxidants perceived as natural, namely those that naturally occur in herbs and spices, is a field attracting great interest. In line with this, in the last few years, natural antioxidants such as α-tocopherol, caffeic acid, catechin, quercetin, carvacrol and plant extracts (e.g. rosemary extract) have been incorporated into food packaging. On the other hand, consumers and the food industry are also interested in active biodegradable/compostable packaging and edible films to reduce environmental impact, minimise food loss and minimise contaminants from industrial production and reutilisation by-products. The present review focuses on the natural antioxidants already applied in active food packaging, and it reviews the methods used to determine the oxidation protection effect of antioxidant active films and the methods used to quantify natural antioxidants in food matrices or food simulants. Lastly consumers’ demands and industry trends are also addressed.     

食品包装用复合膜质量现状及安全风险分析

复合膜包装是20世纪70年代末开始在我国迅猛发展起来的新兴行业, 这得益于科学技术的发展和高分子化学工业的发展。食品包装用复合膜作为人们日常接触的食品包装, 被广泛使用, 其质量状况受到人们广泛关注。经过多年的技术积累, 复合膜产品质量越来越好, 品种也非常的多, 但是复合膜产品质量受到多方面因素影响, 在实际生产中会出现很多问题。同时, 由于复合膜产品生产企业存在企业规模小、效益低、技术水平低、管理水平低等原因, 复合膜产品质量仍旧良莠不齐, 监督抽查工作需要被常抓不懈。本文从食品包装用复合膜质量现状、国家监督抽查结果、国内外关注风险项目指标、新旧标准技术指标要求差异等方面, 分析食品包装用复合膜产品质量状况, 并从标准的角度提出建议。     

Antimicrobial-coated films as food packaging: A review

Antimicrobial food packaging involves packaging the foods with antimicrobials to protect them from harmful microorganisms. In general, antimicrobials can be integrated with packaging materials via direct incorporation of antimicrobial agents into polymers or application of antimicrobial coating onto polymer surfaces. The former option is generally achieved through thermal film-making technology such as compression molding or film extrusion, which is primarily suitable for heat-stable antimicrobials. As a nonthermal technology, surface coating is more promising compared to molding or extrusion for manufacturing food packaging containing heat-sensitive antimicrobials. In addition, it also has advantages over direct incorporation to preserve the packaging materials’ bulk properties (e.g., mechanical and physical properties) and minimize the amount of antimicrobials to reach sufficient efficacy. Herein, antimicrobial food packaging films achieved through surface coating is explored and discussed. The two components (i.e., film substrate and antimicrobials) consisting of the antimicrobial-coated films are reviewed as plastic/biopolymer films; and synthetic/naturally occurring antimicrobials. Furthermore, special emphasis is given to different coating technologies to deposit antimicrobials onto film substrate. Laboratory coating techniques (e.g., knife coating, bar coating, and spray coating) commonly applied in academic research are introduced briefly, and scalable coating methods (i.e., electrospinning/spraying, gravure roll coating, flexography coating) that have the potential to bring laboratory-developed antimicrobial-coated films to an industrial level are explained in detail. The migration profile, advantages/drawbacks of antimicrobial-coated films for food applications, and quantitative analyses of the reviewed antimicrobial-coated films from different aspects are also covered in this review. A conclusion is made with a discussion of the challenges that remain in bringing the production of antimicrobial-coated films to an industrial level.     

Physical performance of biodegradable films intended for antimicrobial food packaging

Antimicrobial films were prepared by including enterocins to alginate, polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH), and zein films. The physical performance of the films was assessed by measuring color, microstructure (SEM), water vapor permeability (WVP), and tensile properties. All studied biopolymers showed poor WVP and limited tensile properties. PVOH showed the best performance exhibiting the lowest WVP values, higher tensile properties, and flexibility among studied biopolymers. SEM of antimicrobial films showed increased presence of voids and pores as a consequence of enterocin addition. However, changes in microstructure did not disturb WVP of films. Moreover, enterocin-containing films showed slight improvement compared to control films. Addition of enterocins to PVOH films had a plasticizing effect, by reducing its tensile strength and increasing the strain at break. The presence of enterocins had an important effect on tensile properties of zein films by significantly reducing its brittleness. Addition of enterocins, thus, proved not to disturb the physical performance of studied biopolymers. Development of new antimicrobial biodegradable packaging materials may contribute to improving food safety while reducing environmental impact derived from packaging waste. Practical Application: Development of new antimicrobial biodegradable packaging materials may contribute to improving food safety while reducing environmental impact derived from packaging waste.     

Sustainable edible packaging systems based on active compounds from food processing byproducts: A review

The global food processing industries represent a challenge and a risk to the environment due to the poor handling of residues, which are often discarded as waste without being used in further sidestreams. Although some part of this biomass is utilized, large quantities are, however, still under- or unutilized despite these byproducts being a rich resource of valuable compounds. These biowastes contain biopolymers and other compounds such as proteins, polysaccharides, lipids, pigments, micronutrients, and minerals with good nutritional values and active biological properties with applications in various fields including the development of sustainable food packaging. This review offers an update on the recent advancement of food byproducts recycling and upgrading toward the production of food packaging materials, which could be edible, (bio)degradable, and act as carriers of biobased active agents such as antimicrobials, antioxidants, flavoring additives, and health-promoting compounds. This should be a global initiative to promote the well-being of humans and achieve sustainability while respecting the ecological boundaries of our planet. Edible films and coatings formulations based on biopolymers and active compounds extracted from biowastes offer great opportunities to decrease the devastating overuse of plastic-based packaging. It has become evident that a transition from a fuel-based to a circular bio-based economy is potentially beneficial. Therefore, the exploitation of food discards within the context of a zero-waste biorefinery approach would improve waste management by minimizing its generation, reduce pollution, and provide value-added compounds. Most importantly, the development of edible packaging materials from food byproducts does not compete with food resources, and it also helps decrease our dependency on petroleum-based products. Practical Application Almost 99% of current plastics are petroleum-based, and their continuous use has been devastating to the planet as plastic-derived components have been detected in all trophic levels. Besides, the increasing amounts of food by-products are a socioeconomic and environmental challenge, and halving food loss and waste and turning it into valuable products has become necessary to achieve sustainability and economic circularity. The development of new packaging systems such as edible materials could be one of the solutions to limit the use of persistent plastics. Edible films and coatings by-products-based could also enhance food packaging performance due to their compounds' bioactivities.