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Food Packaging: Materials and Technologies

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A special issue of Materials (ISSN 1996-1944).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (4 January 2019) | Viewed by 56929

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Prof. Dr. Cornelia Vasile

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Guest Editor

Physical Chemistry of Polymers Department, Petru Poni Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, Romanian Academy, 41A Gr. Ghica Voda Alley, 700487 Iași, Romania
Interests: polymeric (bionano)composites; biomaterials; biodegradation; polymer compatibility and biocompatibility; kinetics and thermodynamics of polymeric systems; food packaging, (active, bioactive, smart, (bio)degradable); drugs delivery; recovery of polymer wastes by destructive and non-destructive procedures ; environmental pollution and protection; smart polymers
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Dr. Morten Sivertsvik

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Nofima AS
Interests: food processing; preservation; packaging

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Because of the increasing pressure on both food safety and packaging/food waste, the topic is important both for academics, applied research, industry and also for environment protection. Different materials, such as glass, metals, paper and paperboards, and non-degradable and degradable polymers, with versatile properties, are attractive for potential uses in food packaging.

Food packaging is the largest area of application within the food sector. Only the nanotechnology-enabled products in the food sector account for ~50% of the market value, with and the annual growth rate is 11.65%. Technological developments are also of great interest. In the food sector, nanotechnology is involved in packaging materials with extremely high gas barriers, antimicrobial properties, and also in nanoencapsulants for the delivery of nutrients, flavors, or aromas, antimicrobial, and antioxidant compounds.

Applications of materials, including nanomaterials in packaging and food safety, are in forms of: edible films, polymer nanocomposites, as high barrier packaging materials, nanocoatings, surface biocides, silver nanoparticles as potent antimicrobial agents, nutrition and neutraceuticals, active/bioactive packaging, intelligent packaging, nanosensors and nanomaterial-based assays for the detection of food relevant analytes (gasses, small organic molecules and food-borne pathogens) and bioplastics.

Since you are working in this intriguing area, it is our pleasure to invite you to contribute a full paper/letter/communication/review to this Special Issue. The authors are encouraged to submit manuscripts reporting unexpected results providing they can present scientifically-spotless explanations.

Dr. Cornelia Vasile
Dr. Morten Sivertsvik
Guest Editors

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Keywords

food packaging
materials
nanomaterials
nanocoating
edible films
Technology
smart packaging/polymers
bionanocomposites
Kinetics/Thermodynamics of migration/release into food products
Active/natural compounds

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Published Papers (9 papers)

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Research

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19 pages, 5045 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Formulation and Characterization of New Polymeric Systems Based on Chitosan and Xanthine Derivatives with Thiazolidin-4-One Scaffold

by Sandra Madalina Constantin, Frederic Buron, Sylvain Routier, Ioana Mirela Vasincu, Maria Apotrosoaei, Florentina Lupașcu, Luminița Confederat, Cristina Tuchilus, Marta Teodora Constantin, Alexandru Sava and Lenuţa Profire

Materials 2019, 12(4), 558; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma12040558 - 13 Feb 2019

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 3463

Abstract

In the past many research studies have focused on the thiazolidine-4-one scaffold, due to the important biological effects associated with its heterocycle. This scaffold is present in the structure of many synthetic compounds, which showed significant biological effects such as antimicrobial, antifungal, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antidiabetic effects. It was also identified in natural compounds, such as actithiazic acid, isolated from Streptomyces strains. Starting from this scaffold new xanthine derivatives have been synthetized and evaluated for their antibacterial and antifungal effects. The antibacterial action was investigated against Gram positive (Staphyloccoccus aureus ATCC 25923, Sarcina lutea ATCC 9341) and Gram negative (Escherichia coli ATCC 25922) bacterial strains. The antifungal potential was investigated against Candida spp. (Candida albicans ATCC 10231, Candida glabrata ATCC MYA 2950, Candida parapsilosis ATCC 22019). In order to improve the antimicrobial activity, the most active xanthine derivatives with thiazolidine-4-one scaffold (XTDs: 6c, 6e, 6f, 6k) were included in a chitosan based polymeric matrix (CS). The developed polymeric systems (CS-XTDs) were characterized in terms of morphological (aspect, particle size), physic-chemical properties (swelling degree), antibacterial and antifungal activities, toxicity, and biological functions (bioactive compounds loading, entrapment efficiency). The presence of xanthine-thiazolidine-4-one derivatives into the chitosan matrix was confirmed using Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) analysis. The size of developed polymeric systems, CS-XTDs, ranged between 614 µm and 855 µm, in a dry state. The XTDs were encapsulated into the chitosan matrix with very good loading efficiency, the highest entrapment efficiency being recorded for CS-6k, which ranged between 87.86 ± 1.25% and 93.91 ± 1.41%, depending of the concentration of 6k. The CS-XTDs systems showed an improved antimicrobial effect with respect to the corresponding XTDs. Good results were obtained for CS-6f, for which the effects on Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923 (21.2 ± 0.43 mm) and Sarcina lutea ATCC 9341 (25.1 ± 0.28 mm) were comparable with those of ciprofloxacin (25.1 ± 0.08 mm/25.0 ± 0.1 mm), which were used as the control. The CS-6f showed a notable antifungal effect, especially on Candida parapsilosis ATCC 22019 (18.4 ± 0.42 mm), the effect being comparable to those of nystatin (20.1 ± 0.09 mm), used as the control. Based on the obtained results these polymeric systems, consisting of thiazolidine-4-one derivatives loaded with chitosan microparticles, could have important applications in the food field as multifunctional (antimicrobial, antifungal, antioxidant) packaging materials. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Food Packaging: Materials and Technologies)

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18 pages, 10910 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Evaluation of Reliefs’ Properties on Design of Thermoformed Packaging Using Fused Deposition Modelling Moulds

by Lucía Rodríguez-Parada, Pedro F. Mayuet and Antonio J. Gámez

Materials 2019, 12(3), 478; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma12030478 - 4 Feb 2019

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3638

Abstract

The increased consumption of food requiring thermoformed packaging implies that the packaging industry demands customized solutions in terms of shapes and sizes to make each packaging unique. In particular, food industry increasingly requires more transparent packaging, with greater clarity and a better presentation of the product they contain. However, in turn, the differentiation of packaging is sought through its geometry and quality, as well as the arrangement of food inside the packaging. In addition, these types of packaging usually include ribs in the walls to improve their physical properties. However, these ribs also affect the final aesthetics of the product. In accordance with this, this research study analyses the mechanical properties of different relief geometries that can affect not only their aesthetics but also their strength. For this purpose, tensile and compression tests were carried out using thermoformed PET sheets. The results provide comparative data on the reliefs studied and show that there are differences in the mechanical properties according to shape, size and disposition in the package. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Food Packaging: Materials and Technologies)

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19 pages, 59833 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Custom Design of Packaging through Advanced Technologies: A Case Study Applied to Apples

by Lucía Rodríguez-Parada, Pedro F. Mayuet and Antonio J. Gámez

Materials 2019, 12(3), 467; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma12030467 - 3 Feb 2019

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 4480

Abstract

In the context of food packaging design, customization enhances the value of a product by meeting consumer needs. Personalization is also linked to adaptation, so the properties of the packaging can be improved from several points of view: functional, aesthetic, economic and ecological. Currently, functional and formal properties of packaging are not investigated in depth. However, the study of both properties is the basis for creating a new concept of personalized and sustainable product. In accordance with this approach, a conceptual design procedure of packaging with personalized and adapted geometries based on the digitization of fresh food is proposed in this work. This study is based on the application of advanced technologies for the design and development of food packaging, apples in this work, in order to improve the quality of the packaging. The results obtained show that it is possible to use advanced technologies in the early stages of product design in order to obtain competitive products adapted to new emerging needs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Food Packaging: Materials and Technologies)

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17 pages, 2640 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Chitosan-Based Bionanocomposite Films Prepared by Emulsion Technique for Food Preservation

by Elena Butnaru, Elena Stoleru, Mihai Adrian Brebu, Raluca Nicoleta Darie-Nita, Alexandra Bargan and Cornelia Vasile

Materials 2019, 12(3), 373; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma12030373 - 25 Jan 2019

Cited by 74 | Viewed by 9380

Abstract

Biopolymer nanocomposite films were prepared by casting film-forming emulsions based on chitosan/Tween 80/rosehip seed oil and dispersed montmorillonite nanoclay C30B. The effect of composition on structural, morphological characteristics and, mechanical, barrier, antimicrobial and antioxidant properties was studied. The presence of rosehip seed oil in chitosan films led to the formation of flexible films with improved mechanical, gas and water vapour barrier properties and antioxidant activity. The in vitro antibacterial tests against Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhymurium, and Bacillus cereus showed that the chitosan/rosehip seed oil/montmorillonite nanoclay composites effectively inhibited all the three microorganisms. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Food Packaging: Materials and Technologies)

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15 pages, 2574 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Release of Graphene and Carbon Nanotubes from Biodegradable Poly(Lactic Acid) Films during Degradation and Combustion: Risk Associated with the End-of-Life of Nanocomposite Food Packaging Materials

by Stanislav Kotsilkov, Evgeni Ivanov and Nikolay Kolev Vitanov

Materials 2018, 11(12), 2346; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma11122346 - 22 Nov 2018

Cited by 27 | Viewed by 4092

Abstract

Nanoparticles of graphene and carbon nanotubes are attractive materials for the improvement of mechanical and barrier properties and for the functionality of biodegradable polymers for packaging applications. However, the increase of the manufacture and consumption increases the probability of exposure of humans and the environment to such nanomaterials; this brings up questions about the risks of nanomaterials, since they can be toxic. For a risk assessment, it is crucial to know whether airborne nanoparticles of graphene and carbon nanotubes can be released from nanocomposites into the environment at their end-life, or whether they remain embedded in the matrix. In this work, the release of graphene and carbon nanotubes from the poly(lactic) acid nanocomposite films were studied for the scenarios of: (i) biodegradation of the matrix polymer at the disposal of wastes; and (ii) combustion and fire of nanocomposite wastes. Thermogravimetric analysis in air atmosphere, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning electron microscope (SEM) were used to verify the release of nanoparticles from nanocomposite films. The three factors model was applied for the quantitative and qualitative risk assessment of the release of graphene and carbon nanotubes from nanocomposite wastes for these scenarios. Safety concern is discussed in respect to the existing regulations for nanowaste stream. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Food Packaging: Materials and Technologies)

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14 pages, 1511 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Characterization of Active Edible Films based on Citral Essential Oil, Alginate and Pectin

by Valentina Siracusa, Santina Romani, Matteo Gigli, Cinzia Mannozzi, Juan Pablo Cecchini, Urszula Tylewicz and Nadia Lotti

Materials 2018, 11(10), 1980; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma11101980 - 15 Oct 2018

Cited by 100 | Viewed by 5791

Abstract

Thermal, structural and physico-chemical properties of different composite edible films based on alginate and pectin with the addition of citral essential oil (citral EO) as an agent to improve barrier properties, were investigated. The obtained films were clear and transparent, with a yellow hue that increased with citral EO addition. All the films displayed good thermal stability up to 160 °C, with a slight improvement observed by increasing the amount of citral EO in the composites. Gas transmission rate (GTR) strongly depended on the polymer structure, gas type and temperature, with improvement in barrier performance for composite samples. Also, citral EO did not exert any weakening action on the tensile behavior. On the contrary, an increase of the elastic modulus and of the tensile strength was observed. Lastly, water contact angle measurements demonstrated the dependence of the film wettability on the content of citral EO. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Food Packaging: Materials and Technologies)

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18 pages, 3155 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Antioxidant/Antibacterial Electrospun Nanocoatings Applied onto PLA Films

by Bogdanel Silvestru Munteanu, Liviu Sacarescu, Ana-Lavinia Vasiliu, Gabriela Elena Hitruc, Gina M Pricope, Morten Sivertsvik, Jan Thomas Rosnes and Cornelia Vasile

Materials 2018, 11(10), 1973; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma11101973 - 13 Oct 2018

Cited by 33 | Viewed by 4975

Abstract

Polylactic acid (PLA) films were coated by coaxial electrospinning with essential and vegetable oils (clove and argan oils) and encapsulated into chitosan, in order to combine the biodegradability and mechanical properties of PLA substrates with the antimicrobial and antioxidant properties of the chitosan–oil nanocoatings. It has been established that the morphology of the electrospun nanocoatings mainly depend on the average molecular weight (MW) of chitosan. Oil beads, encapsulated into the main chitosan nanofibers, were obtained using high-MW chitosan (Chit-H). Oil encapsulated in chitosan naoparticles resulted when low-MW chitosan (Chit-L) was used. The coating layer, with a thickness of 100 ± 20 nm, had greater roughness for the samples containing Chit-H compared with the samples containing Chit-L. The coated PLA films had higher antibacterial activity when the nanocoating contained clove oil rather than when argan oil was used, for both types of chitosan. Nanocoatings containing Chit-H had higher antibacterial activity compared with those containing Chit-L, for both types of oil tested, due to the larger surface area of the rougher nanoscaled morphology of the coating layer that contained Chit-L. The chitosan–clove oil combination had higher antioxidant activity compared to the simple chitosan nanocoating, which confirmed their synergistic activities. The low activity of systems containing argan oil was explained by big differences between their chemical composition and viscosity. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Food Packaging: Materials and Technologies)

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33 pages, 6812 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Evaluation of the Rosemary Extract Effect on the Properties of Polylactic Acid-Based Materials

by Raluca Nicoleta Darie-Niţă, Cornelia Vasile, Elena Stoleru, Daniela Pamfil, Traian Zaharescu, Liliana Tarţău, Niţă Tudorachi, Mihai Adrian Brebu, Gina Mihaela Pricope, Raluca Petronela Dumitriu and Karol Leluk

Materials 2018, 11(10), 1825; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma11101825 - 25 Sep 2018

Cited by 39 | Viewed by 4812

Abstract

New multifunctional materials containing additives derived from natural resources as powdered rosemary ethanolic extract were obtained by melt mixing and processed in good conditions without degradation and loss of additives. Incorporation of powdered rosemary ethanolic extract (R) into poly(lactic acid) (PLA) improved elongation at break, rheological properties, antibacterial and antioxidant activities, in addition to the biocompatibility. The good accordance between results of the chemiluminescence method and radical scavenging activity determination by chemical method evidenced the increased thermoxidative stability of the PLA biocomposites with respect to neat PLA, with R acting as an antioxidant. PLA/R biocomposites also showed low permeability to gases and migration rates of the bioactive compounds and could be considered as high-performance materials for food packaging. In vitro biocompatibility based on the determination of surface properties demonstrated a good hydrophilicity, better spreading and division of fibroblasts, and increased platelet cohesion. The implantation of PLA/R pellets, was proven to possess a good in vivo biocompatibility, and resulted in similar changes in blood parameters and biochemical responses with the control group, suggesting that these PLA-based materials demonstrate very desirable properties as potential biomaterials, useful in human medicine for tissue engineering, wound management, orthopedic devices, scaffolds, drug delivery systems, etc. Therefore, PLA/R-based materials show promising properties for applications both in food packaging and as bioactive biomaterials. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Food Packaging: Materials and Technologies)

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Review

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49 pages, 1985 KiB

Open AccessReview

Polymeric Nanocomposites and Nanocoatings for Food Packaging: A Review

by Cornelia Vasile

Materials 2018, 11(10), 1834; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma11101834 - 26 Sep 2018

Cited by 192 | Viewed by 14215

Abstract

Special properties of the polymeric nanomaterials (nanoscale size, large surface area to mass ratio and high reactivity individualize them in food packaging materials. They can be processed in precisely engineered materials with multifunctional and bioactive activity. This review offers a general view on polymeric nanocomposites and nanocoatings including classification, preparation methods, properties and short methodology of characterization, applications, selected types of them used in food packaging field and their antimicrobial, antioxidant, biological, biocatalyst and so forth, functions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Food Packaging: Materials and Technologies)

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