Amid global concerns about food spoilage and waste, a review highlights the need for preservation methods that maintain quality and nutritional value while supporting environmental sustainability. As consumer demand for fresh produce grows, the urgency for advanced preservation technologies ensuring food safety while minimizing waste becomes more apparent.
Fresh fruits and vegetables, essential for a healthy diet, are susceptible to spoilage due to moisture loss, enzymatic activity, and microbial contamination. Traditional methods like refrigeration have limitations and may compromise product quality. This review explores smart packaging as a solution, adapting to environmental conditions to keep produce fresh longer.
Active packaging interacts with food, incorporating elements like moisture absorbers and oxygen scavengers. Research shows it regulates humidity and gas concentrations, reducing spoilage and enhancing food safety. Intelligent packaging, equipped with sensors, monitors environmental factors such as temperature and humidity, enabling real-time assessment of freshness.
Advancements in biodegradable packaging materials address environmental concerns about plastic pollution. Smart technologies like RFID and QR codes enhance traceability and consumer trust. Findings indicate smart packaging technologies extend shelf life by monitoring internal conditions and adjusting to fluctuations, preventing spoilage and contamination.
Smart packaging's dual role in food safety involves ensuring optimal storage conditions and providing real-time insights into food quality. Successful case studies show fruits in modified atmosphere packaging have a longer shelf life and maintain freshness better than conventional packaging.
Challenges in consumer acceptance persist, with concerns about the safety and environmental impact of new materials, especially those involving nanotechnology. Environmental factors like temperature fluctuations during transportation impact performance, requiring optimization of smart packaging systems.
Standardized regulations and guidelines are called for to ensure the safety and adoption of smart packaging in the food industry. As technology evolves, smart packaging could become a tool for improving food safety and sustainability globally.
Source: AZO Sensors