August-September 2019

rll ll I lll I lLtl' ll I I lr t'l

FOOD PACKAGING TECHNOLOGY

G. Rajesh, S. Balasubramanian*, N. Manimehalai and T. Anand

Packaging is an essential part of processing, preservation and distribution of foods. Fish being
extremely perishable food deteriorates rapidly and thereby the quality and potential life is reduced
if they are not handled and stored properly. It needs a suitable packaging that can limit undesired
microbial growth and sensor:y deterioration. Recent packaging technologies which are becoming
increasingly significant include intelligent packaging, active packaging, etc. These emerging
technologies play a considerable role in shelf life extension, prevention of undesirable changes to
the appearance, flavor, odor, and texture. Moreover, there are advances in packaging of retort-
processed seafood, frozen seafood, ready-to-serve and retail-ready seafood products, advances in
bulk packaging for the transport of fresh and processed fish or fishery products, advances in the
manufacture of sausage casings and advances in vacuum and modified atmosphere packaging of
fish, crustaceans and other shellfishes. This paper discusses emerging technologies for the effective
packaging of sea foods and reviews advances in packaging technology, focuses on developments
in active packaging, controlled release packaging, environmentally-compatible packaging and
emerging edible chitosan coatings technologies.

INTRODUCTION

In recent years there are notable advances in packaging helps in getting high price for the fishery
the packaging technology of fish and fishery product. The devices as indicators can provide
products. The three basic fllrctions of food packaging directly information about product qualiry which is
(storage, preservation and protection) are still resulting from microbial growth or chemrcal changes
required today for better maintenance of quality within foodstuffs. The using of those indicators to
and handling of foods. Advance packaging inside or outside of cover we can call smart of
technologies which are becoming increasingly intelligent packaging. Smart packaging utilizes
significairt include intelligent packaging, active chemical sensor or biosensor to monitor the food
packagrng, etc. Since fresh fish can get spoiledvery
quality and safety from the producers to the
costumers. A modem qualitl and safety assurance
quickly, the development of packaging technology
system should prevent contamination through
for post-harvest preservation and methodology
monitoring, recording, and controlling of critical
convert to as fresh condition. The advance ' parameters d*i"g aproduct's entire tife cycle, which
*College of
Fisheries Engineering, Tamil Nadu Fisheries
includes the post processing phase and extends over
University, Nagapattinam-611 001, Tamil Nadu. E-mail:
balaciphetg gmail.com the time of use by the final consumer.
 Vol. LIV No. 3
?019

ROI,ES OF FOOD PACKAGING emitters, odor absorbers, ethylene removers, and

The principal roles of food packaging are to aroma emitters. Active packaging technologies
protect food products fiom outsicle influences and include some physical. chemical, or biological action
damage.to contain the food, and to provide which changes interactions betrv.een a packa_ee,
sonsumers lvith in-qredient and nutritional product, andlor headspace of the package. The
informationl0, prolonging shelf life involves most common active systems scavenge oxygen
retardation of ena,matic. microbial, and biochemical from the package or the product and may even be
reactions through r.arious strategies such as activated by an outside source such as UV light.
temperature control: moishrre control; addition of However, allows packages to interact with food
chemicals (salt. sugar. carbon dioxicie. or narural and the environment and play a clynamic role in
acids) remor.al of ox1._sen; or a combination of food preservation. The packaging systems are
these with effectir e packaging3. Containrnent developed with the goal of extending shelf life for
involves ensurir_s thar a product is not intentionaliy foods and increasing.the period of time that the
spilled or dispersed. The comrnunication function food is high quality. Active packaging is typicaily
serves as the link beni.een consumer and food found in two types of systems: sachets and pads
processor. It conrains rnandatorv information which are placed inside of packages and active
such
as weight, source. insr.edients and nutritional value ingredients that are incorporated directly into
and cautions fbr use required by the Iarv. Secondary packaging materials.
functions of rncreasrng importance inclutle
ACTIVE PACICAGING: SACHETS AND
traceability,. ramper rndicarion^ and portion control.
PADS
More recent innor ations used include surface
variations sensed br f-in_ser tips and pahns, sound,, In order to absorb or emit gases to a package
music or verbal messages. and aromas ernitted as or headspace, sachets and pads are very commonly

part of an active packaeing spectrunll. The goal used. Sachets were developed in the late 1970s in

of food packaging is to contain food in a cost_ Japan. For oxygen scavenging, the sachets
effective rvay that sarlslles industry requirements essentially utilize the process of rusting, or the
and consumer desires. maintains food saf-ety and oxidation of iron compounds in the presence of
minimizes environmentai intpact. oxygen and water. Oxygen scavengers can also be
made based on enzyme technology. Oxygen
ACTTVE FOOD PACIC,{GI\G absorbers are usually made of powdered iron or
Active packaging is accuratelr defined as ascorbic acid. Iron based scavengers typically do
'packaging in which subsidiarv constituents have not pass the rnetal detector inspections on most
been deliberately included in or on either the packaging lines, and in these incidences ascorbic
packaging material or the packaee headspace to acid is advantageous. These pads prevent the
enhance the performance of the package sr.siem-1. growth of molds or bacteria by absorbing water
Developments in activs packaging har e led to into superabsorbent polymer granules placed
advances in many areas, including delat.erl oxidation between two layers of rnicro porous nonwoven
and controiled respiration rate, microbial gro.uvth polymer. Although sachets work well in many
and moisture migration. Other active packaging applications, they are not appropriate for every
technologies include carbon dioxide absorbers/ situation. Sachets cannot be used in liquid foods.
 Vol. LIV No. 3 August-SePtember 2019
Everyman's Science

They may not be used in a package made of moisture content of the food, and on the function.
flexible film, as the film will cling to the sachet and i.e., oxygen scavenging only or dual function, such

prevent it from perlorming its function. as absorbing or generating carbon dioxide, besides
removing the oxYgen.
APPLICATION OF ACTIVE
PACKAGING CARBON DIOXIDE EMITTERS AND
of SCA\IENGERS
The following are commercial applications
active packaging system The function carbon dioxide within a
of
packaging environment is to suppress microbial
- Oxygen scavenging
growth. Therefore. a carbon dioxide generating
- Carbon dioxide emitters and scavengers system can be vieu'ed as a technique complementary
- Moisture conffol to oxygen scavengingT. Sittce the permeability of
- Ethylene absorbers carbon dioxide is three to five times higher than
- Antimicrobials that of oiygen in most plastic films, it must be
continuously produced to maintain the desired
OXYGEN SCAVENGERS
concentration within the package6. High carbon
High level ofoxygen present on food packages
dioxide level (10- 80%) are desirable for food such
may facilitate microbial gtowth, off-flavor and off-
as meat, poultry and seafood in order to inhibit
odor development, colour changes and nutritional life'
surface microbial growth and extend shelf
losses, thereby causing significant reduction in the
shelf life of food. The control of oxygen level in MOISTURE CONTROL
food packages limit the rate of such deteriorative The main purpose of moisture control is to
and spoilage reaction in food. Oxygen scavenger lower the u'ater activity of the product, thereby
has been applied to materials incorporated into suppressing microbial growth. Control of moisture
package structures that chemically combine with, is important for food preservation. Moisture control
and thus effectively remove, oxygen from the inner agents help control water activity, thus reducing
package environment. The substance is usually microbial growth; remove melting water from frozen
contained in sachets made of a material highly products and blood or fluids from meat products;
permeable to air but it can also be included in bottle prevent condensation from fresh produce; and keep
5.
closures or in the plastic film matrix' The most the rate of lipid oxidation in check In most cases,
common substances used are iron powder and the packaging material itself is responsible for the
ascorbic acida. The scavengers may be of self- control of moisture transfer betu'een the internal
reaction type or moisture dependent. In this latter and external environment, pror-iding an adequate
case, the reaction only takes place after moisture barrier. Desiccants such as silica gels, natural clays
has been absorbed frorn the food product, while in and calcium oxide are used u'ith dry foods while
the first case, the reaction starts as soon as the internal humidity controllers are used for highly
scavengff is exposed to air. In both cases however, perishable foods.
water is essential for the chemical reaction to
occur. Scavengers also differ in the reaction speed,
ETHYLENE ABSORBERS
from immediate action (0.5 to 1 da, to slow action Ethylene is a natural plant hormone produced by
(4 to 6 days), on the application, particularly the ripening produce. It accelerates produce respiration,
 .,,,.
Everyman's Science Vol. LtV No. 3

resulting in maturity and senescence. Removing measure product quality within the package, there
ethylene from a package environment helps extend
must be direct contact between the food product or
the shelf life of fresh produce. The use of ethanol
headspace and the quality marker. In the end, an
as an anti-microbial agent, particularly for surface intelligent system should help the consumer in the
sterilization and disinfection, is well known. It acts
decision making process to extend shelf life, enhance
against vegetati\.e cells of microorganisms in high
safety, improve quality, provide information, and
concentrations. and it also has a preserving action wam of possible problems. Intelligent packaging is
in low concentrations. The most common agent of a great tool for monitoring possible abuse that has
ethylene remor.al i s potassium permanganate, which
taken place during the food supply chain. perhaps
oxidizes ethylene to acetate and ethanol2. The level intelligent packaging will be able to inform a
of ethanol in the packa_eing headspace depends consumer ofan event that occurred such as package
obviously on the sachet size and on product lvater
activity.
tampering that may save their life. Examples
include time-temperature indicators (TTIs), ripeness
ANTIlVtrCROBL{L indicators, biosensors, and radio frequency
Antimicrobialagent is one of the applications of identification. These smart devices may be
active packagine. It prer.enrs surface growth of incorporated in package materials or attached to
pathogenic microorsanisms in food by use of the inside or outside of a package. However, the
antimicrobial agents s-here large portion of spoilage U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
and contamination occurs. It allows a controlled recognizes TTIs in the 3rd edition of the Fish and
release of antimrcrobial agents into the food surface Fisheries Products Hazards and Control
during storage and distnbution. The classes of Guidance, so their importance may increase in the
antimicrobial agents are Silr er ions, Ethyl alcohol, seafood industry.

Chlorine dioxide. Organic acids, Spice_based APPLICATION OF] INTELLIGENT

essential oils and \Ietal orides this are all used for PACKAGING
reduce the growth rate and marimum population
of - Time Temperature Indicators (TTIs)
microorganisms (spoilage and parho_eenic) by
extending the lag phase of mrcrobes or rnactivating
- Gas Indicators

them.
- Thermo chromic Inks

INTELLIGENT PACIL{GI\G
- Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)

Intelligent packaging svstems erist to monitor

- Leak indicators (CO2, 02)

certain aspects of a food product and report - Pathogen indicators

information to the consumer. The purpose of the TIME TEMPERATURE INDICATORS

intelligent system could be to impror e the qualitv or (TTIs)
value of a product, to provide more con\.enience. or The intelligent packaging design that is leading
to provide tamper or theft resistance-.. Intelii_eent the way in packaging technology is the time
packaging can report the conditions on the outside temperature indicator (TTD. TTI is useful because
of the package, or directly measure the quality of it can tell the consumer when foods have been
the food product inside the package. In order to temperature abused. If a food is exposed to a
 201 9
Everyman's Science Vol. LIV No. 3

higher temperature recommended, qualiry of food

THERMO CHROMIC INKS
can deteriorate much quicker. A TTI can be placed Inks are available that are temperature sensitive
on shipping containers or individual packages as a and can change colors based on temperature' These

small seliadhesive label, and an irreversible change, inks can be printed onto packages or labels such
like a color change, rvill result when the TTI that a message can be conveyed to the consumer
experiences abusive conditions. TTIs are particularly based on the color of the ink they are seeing'
useful with chilled or frozen foods, where the cold Thermo chromic inks catr let a consumer know
storage during transportation and distribution are whether a package is too hot to touch, or cold
a
important for food qualiry and safety' TTls are also enough drink. Thermo chromic inks are becoming
used as freshness indicators for estimating the shelf popular technolo-ey for beverages3' The inks used
life of perishable products. ATTI technology known can be adversely affected by UV light and
Nestle temperatures over lzl"C, so consumers should not
as Time strip is cumently being employed by
fully rely on the inks message when it'comes to
in their food service products in the UK'
deciding the proper time to consume a food'
GAS INDICATORS
RADIO FREQUENCY IDENTIFICATION
Food is a complicated material to package
(RFID)
because it is capable ofrespiration and therefore
may change its own atmosphere when inside a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags are
package. The gas composition lvithin a package an adr'anced form of data information canier that
can identifl' and fface a product' They are currently
can easily change due to the interaction of food
used for trackrng expensive items and livestock'
In
with its environment. Gas indicators are a helpful
a typical s)'stem, a reader emits a radio signal
to
means of monitoring the composition of gases
inside a package by producing a change in the color capture data from an RFID tag' The data is then

of the indicator though a chemical or enzymatic passed to a computer for analysis' RFID tags
reaotionl. The indicators must be in direct contact contain a microchip connected to a tiny antenna'
with the gaseous environrnent directly surrounding This allows for the tags to be read tbr a range of
100 feet or more in more expensir e tags' to 15
feet
the food in a package. Indicators are capable of
signaling whether there is a gas leakage in the
in less expensive tags. The RFID tag could offer
much more than a conventional barcode' In contrast
package, or they may be used to verify the efficiency
scavenger. Oxygen in the air can to a barcode, RFID does not need to be in a direct
of an oxygen
line of sight to be recognized b1' a scanner' RFID
cause oxidative rancidity, unwanted color changes
tags could also store information such as temperature
in foods. and allow aerobic microbes to grow on
and relative humidity data, nutritional information
foods. Oxygen inclicators t-vpically result in a color
and cooking instructions. They' could be integrated
change when oxygen is present, and the presence
with a time ternperature indicator or a biosensor to
of oxygen can indicate that the package has a leak
ot has been tampered with. Oxygen indicators can carry time temperature information or
microbiological data. RFID technology in the food
also indicate improper sealing of a package' Gas
system is still in the early stages' Simple applications
indicators are also being developed to detect water
like tracking and identification are the focus of
vapor, ethanol, and hydrogen sulfide'
 August'sePtember 2019
Vol. LIV No.

and these must be

PATHOGEN I\DICATORS
most food science matters' is monitoring and
applications can Very important in food chain
perfected before more complex
detectionofacertainpathogenmicroorganismrr,hich
come to light. of humane
.urr.u.r.. various diseases endangering
oz) Toxin Guard b'v
LEAK INDTCATORS (Co z' health. Commercially available
on the package Canada) is a system to
A leak indicator gives information Toxin Alert Inc' (Ontario'
distribution chain packaging material' w'hich
integrity throughout the whole build polyethylene-based
wtricnattachedintothepackage.Theindicatorcan isabletodetectthepresenceofpathogenicbacteria
sp'' E s cherichia
(Salmonell a sp', C amPllobacter
beformulatedasaiabel'aprintedlayer'a-tablet'or the aid of
it may also be laminated in
a polymer fi1m12' The coli Ol5'7 and Lisierio sp') with (toxin'
in modified atmosphere ;;,rr"d antibodies' As the analyte
leak indicators are used with the material it u'ill
as active packaging microorganism) is in contact
pacLaging s'hich is classified labeled antibody and
MAP' the atmosphere be bound first to a specific'
methodE. In these cases printed as a certaln
of O2 and a then to a capturing antibody
consists of a los'ered concentration for the
heightened concentration
of CO2' A leak in MAP pui.*". The method could also be aOllied
or proteins resulting
means a considerable increase
in the 02 detection of pesticide residues
example of
in the COz fto^ g.r.tic modifications' Another
concentration and a decrease detection of specific
runr- enable aerobic microbial microbial indicators for the
concenffation. uhich Ln
sp'' Listeria sp'
the leak indicators for microorganisms like Salmanella
growth to take place' Thus'
active packaging' since andE.colitsFoodSentinelsystem.Thissystemrs
MAPs are much more than reaction' the reaction
and they should rely also based on immunochemical
they become smart packaurng Specific indicator material
taking place in abar code'
rather than on the detection coli Ol57
on the detection ol O;
indicators are placed into
for the detection of Escherichia Lawrence
of CO2. lntemal ga-i-ier el
enterotoxinhas been developed at
inside atmospheree'
the package to monitt'rr the Berkeley N ationat Laboratory'
This sensor material'
rl ith oxygen peneffating
Oxygen indicators interact in the packaging material'
rn4rich can be incorporated
to ensure tnat oxV11
the package through lealiages is composed of cross polymerized
polydiacetylene
absorbersarefunctionrngproperly.Whenoxygen1s molecules and has a deep
blue color'
r>0 l'nb)' the indicator
absent in the headspace
displays a pink color'
\\hen o\Ygen is present CONCLUSIONS
focused on
(<0.5%), it turns blue' A tl
pical o\\'gen indicator The new advances have mostly
(such as methvlene blue)' delaying oxidation and
controlling moisture migration'
consists of a redox-dye rates' and volatile
(such as sodiurn h1'droxide' microbial growth, respiration
an alkaline compound
a reducing compound flavors and aromas' N"* packaging technotrog-v of
potassium hydroxide) and
packaging is very helpful of
reducing sugars)' Carbon
dioxide rndicators active and intelligent
irr.tl u.
quality of food' Amodem
atmosphere packages consumer to indicate the
are also used in modified system prevent
levels are qualrty and safety assurance
(MAP) in rvhich high carbon dioxide thould
monitoring' recording'
the desired contamination through the
desired' The indicators display parameters such as
dioxide inside the and controlling of critical
concentrations of carbon product's entire life
temperature during a food
Packagee'
 i"i.n;""':r
r'Ir:!
" '-' "v;i"liv rlo' g August-sep1ember"201!
'r:' :l ; l:':; : :;l''; irl:;''ri':r';

5. L. Vermeiren, F. Devlieghere, M. Van Beest,

cycle. The advancement of electronic devices that
N. De Kruijf and J- Debevere, Trends Fo'od
can be made cheaply will also help drive the
Sci Technol; 10(3).77-86- 1999.
innovate direction of active and intelligent packaging'
6. M. Ozdemir and J- D- Floros, Critical reviews
As society continues to advance, the expectations
in food science and nutrition, 44, 185-93,
the consumff will continue to advance' The
use
of
20M.
of active and intelligent packaging will likely
become
P. Suppakul,J.Miltz,K. Sonneveld andW'
S'
way 7.
more popular as more technologies make their
Biggers; Journal of food science, 68 (2)'
to the market, innovate packaging in active and
intelligent systems wili become more common
place' 2 .

Q. Shen, F. Kong and Q. Wang, Journal

oJ
Perhaps active and intelligent packaging will 8.
F ood Engineering, 7 7 (2), 348-354, 2006'
completeiy replace traditional packaging itself'
9. R. Ahvenainen and E. Hurme, Food Additive
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