Food packaging materials have traditionally been chosen to avoid
unwanted interactions with the food. During the past two decades a wide
variety of packaging materials have been devised or developed to
interact with the food. These packaging materials, which are designed to
perform some desired role other than to provide an inert barrier to
outside influences, are termed 'active packaging'. The benefits of
active packaging are based on both chemical and physical effects. Active
packaging concepts have often been presented to the food industry with
few supporting results of background research. This manner of
introduction has led to substantial uncertainty by potential users
because claims have sometimes been based on extrapolation from what
little proven information is available. The forms of active packaging
have been chosen to respond to various food properties which are often
unrelated to one another. For instance many packaging requirements for
post harvest horticultural produce are quite different from those for
most processed foods. The object of this book is to introduce and
consolidate information upon which active packaging concepts are based.
Scientists, technologists, students and regulators will find here the
basis of those active packaging materials, which are either commercial
or proposed. The book should assist the inquirer to understand how other
concepts might be applied or where they should be rejected.
