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Application of nanotechnology in food packaging

Conference Paper · September 2016

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APPLICATION OF NANOTECHNOLOGY IN FOOD

PACKAGING

E. Omanović-Mikličanin 1,4, M. Maksimović 2, I. Vinković-Vrček 3, Dž.

Mulaomerović 4, A. Doric 4
1
Faculty of Agriculture and Food Sciences, University of Sarajevo,
Zmaja od Bosne 8, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
(enisa.omanovic.miklicanin@gmail.com)
2
Faculty of Electrical Engineering, University of East Sarajevo, East
Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
3
Analytical Toxicology and Mineral Metabolism Unit, Institute for Medical
Research and Occupational Health,
Ksaverska cesta 2, Zagreb, Croatia.
4
Department of Genetics and Bioengineering, Faculty of Engineering and
Information Technologies, International Burch University
Francuske revolucije bb, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

ABSTRACT
Rapid advancements in nanosciences and nanotechnologies in recent years
are offering a variety of benefits to the whole of agro-food production chain.
The main focus appears to be on food packaging and health food products.
Nano-enhanced packaging has much to offer. Benefits range from stronger
and more flexible films, to smart packaging which can vastly simplify stock
management and monitor food condition. However, as with many
burgeoning areas of nanotechnology, there are some concerns which must
be raised. It is not yet completely clear to what extent nanoparticles
embedded in packaging films can leach into food products, and what the
effects of exposure to various nanomaterials on consumer health might be.
Whilst these issues are still being explored, one thing is for sure - the next
few years will bring important and fascinating developments in
nanotechnology for packaging, which may well act as a model for progress
across all commercial applications of nanotechnology.

INTRODUCTION
The practice of agriculture (“farming”) is the process of producing food,
feed, and many other products by the cultivation of certain plants and the
raising of livestock. Agriculture is the backbone for most countries,
providing food for humans, directly and indirectly. The world’s population
will grow to an estimated 8 billion of people by 2025, thus it is widely
recognized that global agriculture productivity must increase to feed a
rapidly growing world population [1].

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Appliance of new technologies in food related sector today leads to
improved quality, health benefits, shelf life and hygiene, therefore satisfying
the demands expressed by shoppers and consumers. Nanoscience and
nanotechnology have already been successfully used in various science
fields, such as chemistry, biology, physics, materials science, and
engineering. They are widely seen as having huge potential to bring benefits
to many areas of research and application, such as computer electronics,
communication, energy production, medicine and the food industry. Even,
the current stage of nanotechnology applications in the global food sector is
exclusively modest and most products and applications are still at research
and development stage, there is a wide range of potential applications where
nanotechnology could offer innovative solutions to the food and associated
sectors (Fig. 1).
Materials Processing Product Product Safety

Nano particles Heat/Mass transfer

Controlled delivery
Nano-emulsions Reaction Engineering Nanosensors
Formulation
Nano composites Biotechnology Nanotracers
Packaging
Nanostructured materials Molecular Synthesis

Figure 1. The main areas of nanotechnology application in food related

sector

Several novel applications of nanotechnologies have become apparent,

including the use of nanoparticles (micelles, liposomes, nanoemulsions,
biopolymeric nanoparticles and cubosomes) [2]. According to a study from
iRAP, Inc., the total nano-enabled food and beverage packaging market in
the year 2008 was US$4.13 billion, in 2009 was US$4.21 billion and
US$7.3 billion in 2014. Active technology represents the largest share of the
market, and will continue to do so in 2014, with US$4.35 billion in sales,
and the intelligent segment grow to US$2.47 billion sales. One study
suggests that the US nanomaterial market, which totaled only US$125
million in 2000, is expected to reach exceed US$30 billion by 2020 [3].
Food related applications of nanotechnologies offer a wide range of benefits
to the consumer. Agri-food nanotechnology is applied research field
emerged from nanoparticles and nanotechnology aspects applied in
agriculture to boost crop, livestock and food productivity. Agri-food
nanotechnology is multidisciplinary in nature (Fig. 2.).

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Figure 2. Multidisciplinary nature of agri-food nanotechnology [1]

Recent promising results and applications of nanotechnology in the areas of

food packaging and food safety resulted “nano-food packaging” appearance
in the market. Therefore, this paper surveys the current and potential
applications of nanoparticles in food packages, advantages, risks and
concerns.

FOOD PACKAGES PRODUCED WITH NANOPARTICLES

The incorporation of nanomaterials into food packaging offers three
distinctive advantages to food packaging:
 Barrier resistance,
 Incorporation of active components to provide functional
performance, and
 Sensing of relevant information.
In this way, new food packaging materials with improved mechanical,
barrier and antimicrobial properties enable preserving of taste, color, flavor,
texture, consistency and nutrients of foodstuffs. The importance of food
traceability and monitoring during the transport and storage lead to
incorporation of new technologies with embedded nano-sensors into food
packages to track environmental conditions throughout the supply chain [4-
6]. Technology innovation, Internet of Things and nanotechnology, move
the packaging market from conventional packaging to smart packaging -
interactive, aware, and intelligent based on the useful interaction between
packaging environment and the food to provide active protection to the food
[7]. Application of smart packaging can improve tracking and tracing of
packages connected to a network, thereby helping companies to make
educated decisions on-the-fly.
Whilst most nanotechnology applications for food and beverages are
currently at research and development phase or near market stages,
applications for food packaging are already becoming a commercial reality.
The incorporation of nanomaterials in plastic polymers has led to the
development of improved or novel food packaging materials, for example
[8]:

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 Polymer nano-composites with improved properties in terms of

flexibility, durability, temperature/moisture stability, gas-barrier
properties,
 “Active” packaging based on polymers incorporating nanomaterials
with antimicrobial properties,
 “Active” nano-coatings for hygienic food contact surfaces and
materials, and hydrophobic nano-coating for self-cleaning surfaces,
 Nano-(bio) sensors for “Smart” packaging concepts.
Polymer nano-composites (bionanocomposites) are hybrid nanostructured
materials with improved mechanical, thermal and gas barrier properties. The
use of bionanocomposites for food packaging is more environmentally
friendly solution since it reduces the requirement to use plastics as
packaging material (Fig. 3.) [2].
Biodegradability of a packaging material can be enhanced with the
introduction of inorganic particles, such as clay, into the bioploymeric
matrix and can also be controlled with surfactants that are used for the
modification of layered silicate. The application of inorganic particles also
makes it possible to introduce multiple functionalities, which might help to
improve the delivery of fragile micronutrients within edible capsules.
The properties of biodegradable films can be improved with the use of
hybrid organic-inorganic systems (particularly those with layered silicates).
Zein, a prolamin and the major component of corn protein, has been an
important material in science and industry owing to its unique properties
and molecular structure. When dissolve in ether in ethanol or acetone,
biodegradable zein films with good tensile and water-barrier properties can
be obtained. Nanotechnology approaches are expected to yield new
applications for zein in food packaging industry.

Natural polymers Inorganic solids Plasticizers

Starch
Cellulose Clays Glycerol
Polylactic Acid
+ Montmorillolite
+
{
Gelatin Vegetable oils
Cloisite Tryethylcitrate
Collagen
Chitosan

Reinforced
bioplastics

Degraded by
microorganisms CO2

Natural
degradation
products

Figure 3. Formation of bionanocomposites

Nanoscale fillers are used for improvement polymers used in food

packaging properties. Nanofillers usually consist of nanofibers,

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nanowhiskers or nanotubes. Among them, only the solid layered inorganic
clays have so far been used in the packaging industry [2].
The main applications of nanotechnology in food packaging are [9]:
 Antibodies attached to fluorescent nanoparticles to detect chemicals
or food borne pathogens,
 Biodegradable nanosensors for temperature, moisture and time
monitoring,
 Nanoclay and nanofilms as barrier materials to prevent spoilage and
oxygen absorption,
 Electrochemical nanosensors to detect ethylene and other obnoxious
gases,
 Antimicrobial and antifungal surface coatings with nanoparticles
(Ag, Mg, Zn),
 Lighter, stronger and more heat resistant films with silicate
nanoparticles,
 Modified permeation behavior of foils.
Examples of nano-food packaging
 Biocidal nanocompounds
Biocidal nanocompounds (e.g. nanosilver) are main components of
antibacterial “active” protection. They are used against pathogenic
organisms. Biocidal agents are released on food surface through
food packages in controlled way with time (Fig. 4.)
BARRIER LAYER
ACTIVE LAYER

Active Releasing Systems Active Scavening Systems

Antimicrobial agent Oxygen
CO2 CO2
Antioxidant FOOD Moisture
Flavours Ethylene
Ethylene Odor

Figure 4. Biocidal nanocompounds way of action in food packaging

 Smart packaging
Fluorescent nanoparticles can be attached to antibodies which could
detect food spoilage and development of pathogenic bacteria.
 Clay nanocomposites
Clay nanocomposites in food packaging act as a non-permeable
membrane for gasses.
 Adhesive nanoagents
Adhesive nanoagents are used for establishing better contact
between color and food packaging.

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Examples of commercially available food packaging systems based on
nanoparticles are presented in Table 1.
Table 1. Commercially available food packaging systems
Market name Active component Producer
Microban Products Co.
Microban Triclosan
(USA)
Micro garde Clay Rhone-poulenc (USA)
Take guard Bamboo extract Takex.Co (Japan)
Microfree Ag, CuO, ZnO, Zn silicate DuPont (USA)
Southwest Research
Microatmosphere Chlorine dioxide Institute (USA), Bernard
Technologies (USA).

RISKS AND REGULATIONS

Nanomaterials might have toxic effects in the body that are not apparent in
the bulk materials. In addition, there might be potential risks for their use in
food-packaging materials. Detailed research will need to determine their
effects on the microbial flora present in the mouth and in the gut.
Currently, no regulations exist that specify control or limit the production of
nanosized particles and this is mainly owing to a lack of knowledge about
the risks.
EFSA's Scientific Committee notes in its opinion on nanoscience and
nanotechnologies in food and feed safety that the data currently available
are limited. The lack of test methodologies makes risk assessment of
nanotechnology products both difficult and highly uncertain. The present
state of knowledge still presents many gaps preventing risk assessors from
establishing the level of safety. In view of the current uncertainties, EFSA
proposes that a lower nanoparticle threshold of 10% should be considered
for food-related applications, instead of the 50% currently proposed in the
Recommendation of European Union [10].
EFSA in its “Note on Nanoscience“ proposes plan for future risk assessment
of nanoparticles based on information, knowledge and tools e.g.
 investigation of the mechanism and toxicological potential,
 reconsideration of the currently applied paradigms for risk
assessment in the light of the altered properties of nanoparticles,
 development and allocation of analytical tools to monitor the
occurrence and distribution of nanoparticles.

CONCLUSIONS
Nanotechnology is becoming increasingly important for the food industry.
Promising results and applications are already developed in the areas of
food packaging and food safety. The incorporation of nanomaterials into
food packaging is expected to improve the barrier properties of packaging

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materials and to reduce the use of valuable raw materials and the generation
of waste. Edible nanolaminates could have applications in fresh fruits and
vegetables, bakery products and confectionery, where they might protect the
food from moisture, lipids, gasses, off-flavors and odors.
However, the potential risks of nanomaterials to human health and to the
environment are unknown. The use of nanomaterials, especially the
insoluble and biopersistent nanoparticles, in food applications must consider
safety of the products to consumer health and environment.
There may be a need for a pragmatic regulatory oversight to ensure a case-
by-case pre-market safety evaluation of the nanotechnology-derived
products to safeguard the consumer from any potential risks.

REFERENCES
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overview, Nanotechnology, Science and Applications. 7, 31-53
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[3] Plastermart. (n.d.) Nanotechnology food beverage packaging
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beverage-packaging.asp
[4] M. Maksimović, V. Vujović, E. Omanović-Mikličanin. (2015)
Application of internet of things in food packaging and transportation.
International Journal of Sustainable Agricultural Management and
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