Packaging continues to be one of the most important and innovative areas in food processing. In today's competitive marketplace, optimal packages are a major advantage when persuading customers to buy a certain brand. Novel Food Packaging Techniques explores how to optimize the use of packaging to improve product safety and quality. The book will help the reader design a package which suits all legislative, marketing, and functional requirements while also fulfilling environmental, cost, and consumer demands. It provides a comprehensive review of the major trends in active packaging, and offers a wealth of information on modified atmosphere packaging (MAP).

From the Introduction: “...[M]odern food packaging no longer has just a passive role in protecting and marketing the product. It increasingly has an active role in processing, preservation and in retaining the safety and quality of foods throughout the distribution chain. Indeed, packaging development has changed the preservation methods used for food products...”

Target Audience: Scientists, technologists, and students who are studying, developing, or are already employing active and intelligent food packaging.

Table of Contents:

Introduction

Types and Roles of Active and Intelligent Packaging:

Active and Intelligent Packaging: An Introduction

Oxygen, Ethylene, and Other Scavengers

Antimicrobial Food Packaging

Non-Migratory Bioactive Polymers (NMBP) in Food Packaging

Time—Temperature Indicators (TTIs)

The Use of Freshness Indicators in Packaging

Packaging—Flavour Interactions

Moisture Regulation

Developments in Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP):

Novel MAP Applications for Fresh-Prepared Produce

MAP, Product Safety, and Nutritional Quality

Reducing Pathogen Risks in MAP-Prepared Produce

Detecting Leaks in Modified Atmosphere Packaging

Combining MAP with Other Preservation Techniques

Integrating MAP with New Germicidal Techniques

Improving MAP Through Conceptual Methods

Novel Packaging and Particular Products:

Active Packaging in Practice: Meat

Active Packaging in Practice: Fish

Active Packaging and Colour Control: The Case of Meat

Active Packaging and Colour Control: The Case of Fruit and Vegetables

General Issues:

Optimizing Packaging

Legislative Issues Relating to Active and Intelligent Packaging

Recycling Packaging Materials

Green Plastics for Food Packaging

Integrating Intelligent Packaging, Storage and Distribution

Testing Consumer Responses to New Packaging Concepts

MAP Performance Under Dynamic Conditions

Index