The future importance of nanoelectronics and ‘electro-nanotechnologies’ is sufficiently well recognized to have become the subject of industrial and government policy roadmaps.
Nanotechnology is conventionally defined by the crucial functional element being less than 10 - 20 nm in dimension, where the physical properties of solid materials themselves would drastically change.
Nanotechnology can help to address packaging functions such as food protection and preservation, marketing and smart communications to consumers.
Applications of nano-biocomposites could help to provide new food packaging materials with improved mechanical, barriers, antioxidant, and antimicrobial properties.
Nanoscale-sensing devices are under development that, when attached to packaging, will enable the food or food ingredients to be traced back to the source to packaging.
New development is under way in this field include the so-called ‘electronic tongue’ technology that is made up of sensor arrays to signal condition of the food.
High barrier nano-conating consisting of hybrid organic and inorganic nano composite coating produced by the sol-gel process are being developed for oxygen-diffusion barriers for plastic such as PET.
The coatings have been reported to be very efficient at keeping out oxygen and retaining carbon dioxide, and they can rival traditional active packaging technologies such as oxygen scavengers.
Also under research is nanostructured silicon with nanopores for potential applications in food packaging, with the aim to enable detection of pathogens in food and variations of temperature during food storage.
Nanoclay for example, they are imbedded on the matrix of the polymer. When they are freed, for instance when the packaging material is incinerated, they will be no more harmful than other clays that are deposited by rivers and the sea.
The development of new strategies for the use of nanocomposites in food materials has been the object of many studies.
The main risk of consumer exposure to nanomaterial from food packaging is likely to be through their potential migration into the packaged food.
Nanoparticulates in food packaging
