Synergism of Zinc Oxide/Organoclay-Loaded Poly(lactic acid) Hybrid Nanocomposite Plasticized by Triacetin for Sustainable Active Food Packaging

The synergistic effect of organoclay(OC)and zinc oxide(ZnO)nanoparticles on the crucial properties of poly(lactic acid)(PLA)nanocompositefilms was systematically investigated herein.After their incorporation into PLA via the solvent casting technique,the water vapor barrier property of the PLA/OC/ZnOfilm improved by a maximum of 86%compared to the neat PLAfilm without the deterioration of Young’s modulus or the tensile strength.Moreover,thefilm’s self-antibacterial activity against foodborne pathogens,including gram-negative(Escherichia coli,E.coli)and gram-positive(Staphylococcus aureus,S.aureus)bacteria,was enhanced by a max-imum of approximately 98–99%compared to the neat PLAfilm.Furthermore,SEM images revealed the homo-geneous dispersion of both nano-fillers in the PLA matrix.However,the thermal stability of thefilm decreased slightly after the addition of the OC and ZnO.Thefilm exhibited notable light barrier properties in the UV-Vis range.Moreover,the incorporation of a suitable biodegradable plasticizer significantly decreased the Tg and notably enhanced theflexibility of the nanocompositefilm by increasing the elongation at break approxi-mately 1.5-fold compared to that of the neat PLAfilm.This contributes to its feasibility as an active food packa-ging material.

Study on the Influence of Food Packaging on the Psychology of Different Groups of Consumers

With the vigorous development of consumer culture in today’s society,various types of food packaging also appear in front of consumers in different forms.There are very big differences in food packaging in terms of shape,color,style and other aspects of information transmission,which have the most direct impact on the audience’s food consumption needs.Driven by the consumption-oriented society,food packaging has shown very obvious comprehensive characteristics,is significantly interdisciplinary,and has close connections with other disciplines.This article will analyze and sort out the impact of food packaging on consumer psychology from different perspectives.

Antibacterial Chitosan-Gelatin Microcapsules Modified with Green-Synthesized Silver Nanoparticles for Food Packaging

Silver nanoparticles(Ag NPs)are an effective antibacterial agent,but their application in food packaging is limited due to their easy agglomeration and oxidation.In this study,antibacterial microcapsules were fabricated using Ginkgo biloba essential oil(GBEO)as core material and chitosan and type B gelatin biopolymer as capsule mate-rials.These antibacterial microcapsules were then modified with green-synthesized Ag NPs,blended into the bio-polymer polylactic acid(PLA),and finally formed as films.Physicochemical properties and antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli(E.coli)and Staphylococcus aureus(S.aureus)were evaluated.Results showed that the prepared antibacterial PLA films exhibited excellent antibacterial activity against foodborne pathogens.Its TVC exceeded the limit value of 7 log CFU/g at 7 days compared with the 5 days of pure PLA films.Therefore,these films can extend the shelf life of grass carp fillets by 2–3 days under refrigeration.

Advances in Research of Molded Pulp for Food Packaging

The molded pulp,a product of three-dimensional papermaking technology,is environmentally friendly and has a low environmental impact due to its ability to decompose quickly in the natural environment after disposal.The application of molded pulp for food packaging can replace or reduce the use of plastic food packaging.Researchers extract fibers from plants for the production of safe and hygienic molded pulp for food packaging,and they also study and enhance the qualities of molded pulp to broaden its use in the food industry.This paper reviews the sources and varieties of plant fiber used in molded pulp for food packaging,as well as research on the improvement and optimization of the performance of molded pulp products.Additionally,issues with molded pulp’s actual use for food packaging are reviewed,along with the potential for future research.This work can serve as a reference for molded pulp applications and research in the food industry in the future.

Analysis of Heavy Metal Lead and Chromium Elements in Food Packaging Bags

[Objectives]This study was conducted to detect the contents of heavy metal lead and chromium in food packaging bags.[Methods]The contents of heavy metal lead and chromium in food packaging bags were determined by microwave digestion-flame atomic absorption spectrophotometer.With concentrated nitric acid and 30%hydrogen peroxide solution as the digestion system,food packaging bags of different materials,plastic packaging bags and paper packaging bags,were ultrasonically digested and then determined for the contents of heavy metal lead and chromium by flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry.[Results]The determination results showed that the linear correlation coefficient of lead was 0.9967,and the linear correlation coefficient of chromium was 0.9977.The method has the characteristics of simplicity,high analysis speed and high sensitivity.[Conclusions]This study provides a theoretical basis for the safety of food packaging bags.

Bacteria in Indian Food Packaging Papers and Paperboards with Various Contents of Pulp Fiber

The food packaging industry generally uses papers and paperboards (PPBs) especially for disposable products. According to the Framework Regulation (EC) No. 1935/2004 of the European Union, no transfer of contamination should occur from food packaging material to the food items. The aim of this study was to determine the presence, numbers, source and different kinds of bacteria present in food packaging PPBs with various contents of pulp fiber. The samples were randomly collected from popular confectioners and fast food restaurants in Saharanpur, India. The results indicated the presence of bacteria in all the samples, ranging from 1.3 × 102 to 6.1 × 103 cfu/g. Most of the samples contained bacteria in more than the permitted concentration of 2.5 × 102 cfu/g as set by Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The detected bacteria were from genera Bacillacea, Staphylococcus and Pseudomonas. According to the FDA declaration, pathogenic bacteria such as B. cereus and S. aureus have been associated with food borne diseases (FBD). Some contaminants in food packaging PPBs were found to be B. subtilis and P. aeroginosa, which produce enzymes like peroxidases and lipoxygenases that are odor generating enzymes.

Levels of Selected Heavy Metals in Food Packaging Papers and Paperboards Used in India

In the present study, the varieties of papers and paperboards (PPBs) used in India for food packaging were qualitatively and quantitatively analyzed for the heavy metal contamination with the help of ICP-OES (Inductively Coupled Plasma-Optical Emission Spectrometry). Total 10 different types of food packaging PPBs were procured from local market and analyzed for 14 heavy metals (Al, As, B, Ba, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, Te, Ti and V). Quantities of heavy metals in the samples were compared with permitted values published by the European Council. Heavy metals like Al, As, Ba, Cr, Co, Ni, Pb and V were observed in more than the permitted concentration in some of the samples. Heavy metals toxicity in food packaging material is a serious concern as the edible items get exposed to these metals and also generate volatile odorous compounds which considerably impact the quality of food and affect consumer's health.

Research Status and Prospects of Bio-based Materials for Grease Barrier Coatings on Paper Food Packaging

Increased environmental and health concerns over the use of plastic packaging or fluorine-containing coatings,in combination with increased market demand for products with a longer shelf life,make bio-based materials one of the most important research candidates for alternative paper packaging materials for oil resistance.These bio-based materials have excellent oxygen and oil barriers,which are critical for food packaging.Moreover,they are biodegradable,naturally renewable,and safe.In this artical,two main groups of bio-based oil repellents for paper food packaging,including polysaccharide-based biopolymers and protein-based biopolymers,are enumerated,and the advantages and weaknesses of bio-based oil repellents are discussed,and effective solutions are proposed.Finally,research status and prospects on the development of bio-based oil-resistant coatings for the food packaging industry are presented.

Selecting the Packaging System for Liquid Foods Using an ANP Model

This paper provides a model to identify the most appropriate packaging system （i.e. the industrial process by which the product is hygienically coupled with the container） for different liquid foods. The model developed is grounded on the Analytic Network Process （ANP） methodology, a powerful and flexible tool used in decision making. To select the appropriate packaging system, the model takes into account several factors, including packaging material, cost, safety, performance （e.g., speed and accuracy）, plant reliability and flexibility, which may directly or indirectly affect the suitability of the process. Moreover, the chemical and physical properties of commercial liquid foods, and the packaging technology are included in the model as further variables to be considered for the final choice. We try to answer the following research questions： is a filling system appropriate for a given liquid food？ Is it compatible with a defined packaging technology？ When several filling systems are available for a given liquid food, how can the most appropriate one be selected？ The ease of application of the model and the robustness of the results provided have been tested on a sample of 59 commercial liquid foods, for which the model allowed to identify the most suitable packaging system, providing useful practical guidelines. The model was developed in close collaboration with a panel of experts, operating in the beverage bottling industry, and validated by the same experts; thus, the resulting tool is suitable for use as a decision support system by food and bottling industries.

Conceptual Design and Selection of Natural Fibre Reinforced Biopolymer Composite (NFBC) Takeout Food Container

Biopolymer composite has gained huge attention for its beneficial properties such as biodegradable and less impact to the environment.This consequently would diminish the dependency on the petroleum-based polymer.Abundance of studies have been done on the development and characterization of biopolymer composite materials for food packaging application,but work on the conceptual design of biopolymer composite packaging product is hardly found.Using the Kano Model,Quality Function Deployment for Environment(QFDE),morphological map,and Analytic Hierarchy Method(AHP)framework combination,this paper presents the conceptual design of a natural fibre reinforced biopolymer composites take-out food container.To understand customer satisfaction with the current use of takeout food containers,the Kano model was applied,and the findings were integrated into QFDE.The highest weight of voices of customer and environment(VOCE)as the solution parameters for the design characteristics were later refined using the aid of morphological chart(MC)to systematically develop conceptual designs.Lastly,AHP was utilized to pick the final concept design.The concept design with the highest score(8.3%)was chosen as the final conceptual design.

Effect of PLA/ZnO Packaging and Gamma Radiation on the Content of Listeria innocua, Escherichia coil and Salmonella enterica on Ham during Storage at 4℃

The effect of ZnO and low y-radiation on PLA based-films was investigated to be used for food packaging application. Ham slices were inoculated with E. coli, L. innocua and S. enterica and then covered with PLA and PLA/5% ZnO films. The samples were irradiated with a y-radiation dose of 0.3 kGy at dose rate of 13.5 kGy/h. Microbiological analysis was performed at 0, 1 and 5 days on samples stored at 4 ℃. Results showed that no consistent reduction of bacteria was obtained, even at the fifth day of storage, when the ham was covered with PLA/5% ZnO film and no γ-radiation was performed. The use of γ-radiation results necessary to reduce the bacteria growth. In fact E. coli and S. enterica were not detected after 5 days of storage; whereas in the case of test with L. innocua a reduction of 1.3 log CFU/g was observed after 5 days of storage. The antibacterial results indicate that the presence of ZnO in PLA film is effective only for E. coll. The differences of the results obtained here with those reported in literature （where ZnO particles are reported to be very effective as antimicrobial material） are accounted for the different methodologies used. In conclusion considering the positive results, even if small, obtained here at least only for the E. Coli and considering that PLA/5% ZnO film shows, compared to plain PLA film, good tensile properties （especially Young＇s modulus and stress at yielding） and good permeability （to O2 and CO2） induce to consider the PLA/5% ZnO composite film usable for food packaging when long shelf life and food safety are required, considering also that it is biodegradable and compostable.

A New Method for Calculating the Nutrition Balance of the Food Package

Based on the previously published research on the nutritional balance of single recipes based on the fragrance index, this paper proposes a simple diet nutrition balance calculation method based on overlap rate. We calculated and compared the combination of any two of the 25 dishes based on the overlap rate method, which is the nutritional balance of the simple package. We also compared the overlap rate based method and the fragrance index based method for 6 simple packages. The results show that the results of the two methods have certain consistency. We also give a formula for calculating the nutritional balance of a simple package consisting of 3 dishes, which can be extended to a package consisting of more dishes.

A Perspective on Human Exposures to Plastics Additives in Water-Packaging Materials

Plastic and polymer additives (PA) have unique rational advantages for various water and food packaging applications. However, their (bio)chemical natures are recently recognized for their negative human health impacts. The major adverse consequence of these additives in consumer products is in the form of endocrine-disruption related health-downgrades. Such findings still remain underappreciated in most parts globally;part of which could be ascribed to fragmented studies towards better understanding on the occurrence, release and migration, human exposure, epidemiology and risk assessment of PA from packaging materials. In addition there is limited and disconnected dissemination of research findings on PA effects and mitigation measures to society at present. In light of appropriateness of this topic, a trans-disciplinary research agenda is required for addressing exposure routes to PA, human health burden and prevention measures. This perspective article discusses important research questions relating to PA, which try to shed light to a grey scientific area and help increase consumers’ awareness and intervention to such exposures.

Literature review on waste management of online food delivery industry in China

Meituan Waimai,which was officially launched in November 2013,has created a huge market for food delivery in China.After years of development,China’s online food delivery market reached RMB 664.62 billion in 2020.In 2022,Meituan Waimai and Ele.me,two food delivery platforms,have created a duopoly in China’s food delivery industry.Due to the success of the food delivery industry,a significant amount of food delivery packaging waste has caused far-reaching harm.This literature review primarily organizes the research on the impact of online food delivery packaging from the perspective of environmental protection.It uses the criterion layer index of online food delivery waste management ecosystem to analyze the impact of the government,environmental non-governmental organizations(NGOs),garbage recycling processors,consumers,online food delivery platforms,takeaway merchants,and takeaway packaging manufacturers.The review shows that scholars generally believe that takeaway waste management is a complex process involving multiple factors.The implementation of policies at the government level is inadequate,and studies at the environmental NGO level are scant.At the consumer level,more environmental awareness education is required.Online food delivery platforms and takeaway merchants should assume greater corporate social responsibility,and manufacturers of takeaway packaging need prioritize the substitution of environmentally friendly materials.There is a consensus that paper-made and recyclable packaging boxes are more environmentally friendly than degradable packaging,which is not as environmentally friendly as is commonly believed.The academia and the industry have conducted various studies and pilot projects on recyclable packaging.If all levels cooperate well,this will be an effective way to manage takeaway packaging garbage.At last,we propose the following assumptions for future research:Besides environmental hazards,takeaway garbage has caused direct or indirect physical harm to humans and animals.Increasing consumer awareness may increase their propensity to participate in governance.Additionally,existing food delivery platforms may need to improve their corporate social responsibility awareness to provide environmentally conscious consumers with sufficient and effective plastic reduction guidance measures during the ordering process.Moreover,will biodegradable plastic products face the same ironic situation as biofuels?That is,the initial intention of technology development is to improve the environment,but the actual process of production or processing may controversially aggravate the environment.

The Use of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles in Eva to Obtain Food Packing Films

The increasing demand for new packages with increased shelf life properties has stimulated the increase of research in the active packaging sector. The use of antimicrobial agents requires an in-depth study of their properties to avoid loss of efficiency of the polymer processing. In this context, the objective of this work was to evaluate the preparation of an 18% ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA) nanocomposite and zinc oxide (ZnO) as microbicidal nanoparticle, prepared in a monosulfon extruder. The nanoparticle was modified with octadecylamine and EVA 18 nanocomposite films were prepared and compared to the systems containing modified nanoparticle. These new materials were characterized by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA), Time Domain Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) to investigate the effect of zinc oxide nanoparticles on thermal properties, EVA crystallinity and antimicrobial effect. The TGA showed a tendency of increase of the thermal stability in different proportions of ZnO. DSC results did not show significant changes in thermal parameters. The XRD analysis showed an increase in the degree of crystallinity of the nanocomposites in relation to the EVA matrix and change in the crystallinity with the increase of ZnO percentages. DMA analysis indicates change in structural organization through the variation of storage modulus, loss, and tan delta. Time domain NMR data corroborate with XRD data through the change in molecular mobility.

Real-Time Anomaly Detection in Packaged Food X-Ray Images Using Supervised Learning

Physical contamination of food occurs when it comes into contact with foreign objects.Foreign objects can be introduced to food at any time during food delivery and packaging and can cause serious concerns such as broken teeth or choking.Therefore,a preventive method that can detect and remove foreign objects in advance is required.Several studies have attempted to detect defective products using deep learning networks.Because it is difficult to obtain foreign object-containing food data from industry,most studies on industrial anomaly detection have used unsupervised learning methods.This paper proposes a new method for real-time anomaly detection in packaged food products using a supervised learning network.In this study,a realistic X-ray image training dataset was constructed by augmenting foreign objects with normal product images in a cut-paste manner.Based on the augmented training dataset,we trained YOLOv4,a real-time object detection network,and detected foreign objects in the test data.We evaluated this method on images of pasta,snacks,pistachios,and red beans under the same conditions.The results show that the normal and defective products were classified with an accuracy of at least 94%for all packaged foods.For detecting foreign objects that are typically difficult to detect using the unsupervised learning and traditional methods,the proposed method achieved high-performance realtime anomaly detection.In addition,to eliminate the loss in high-resolution X-ray images,the false positive rate and accuracy could be lowered to 5%with patch-based training and a new post-processing algorithm.

Technological Development on Layered Products for Foods and/or Foodstuff-Evaluation by Patenting Documents

Packaging is one of the most important methods of keeping the quality of food products for storage, transportation and end-use. The price of materials employed for packaging food has traditionally been high and used to be more expensive than the food itself. Technological innovations made possible to produce packaging materials cheaply. One of these processes is known as co-extrusion. This technique makes a film with two or more layers with different plastics not laminating the layers together with an adhesive, eliminating the use of solvents and producing a film in just one step instead multiple steps. In this background, our paper relates to the evolution on packaging for foods by using patenting documents. A search for patent documents was performed on free patent databases using keywords and International Patent Classification （IPC） codes related to this technology. As results： （a） 17% of the 21,472 documents found are focused on multilayer packaging for food; （b） 12 countries hold more than 90% of patents （38% Japan; 23% The United States of America; 7% Canada and 6% Germany）; and, （c） two peaks were perceived in the period of 1992-1994 and 2003, and matches, respectively, the Persian Gulf （1990-1991） and Iraq Wars （2003-invasion of Iraq）, so the historical tendency is confirmed： ＂wars also generate scientific and technological innovations＂.

非遗在食品包装设计中的运用研究进展

文章通过发文量、关键词、研究对象、研究视角及思路对非物质文化遗产在食品包装设计中的运用研究进展进行了总结和分析;从设计原则、策略和方法3个方面对非遗在食品包装设计中的运用研究内容进行了分析,并对其未来发展方向进行了展望,指出未来该研究可以用理论研究来指导设计实践,同时采用大数据模型对设计实践进行验证。

Development of African Earthenware Container Imbedded with Nanosilver Particles for Food Preservation

With the aim of ameliorating its preservation capacity, silver nanoparticles (0 - 100nm) with 99.9% purity and 35nm average particle size, were used as building material for earthenware jar, an extremely old container which is still used in rural African villages specifically in North Cameroon. Earth material was dissolved in water at the weight ratio of 5% to 10%. Silver nanoparticles were then added to the mixture and stirred to prepare 1% to 5% Ag/Earth paste (1 to 5 ppm). A grounded metal rotating drum was used to prepare earth embedded nanosilver plates. An n-order mathematic expression was used to evaluate the shelf-live quality and deterioration rate of sorghum porridge preserved in this African earthenware container imbedded with nanosilver particles. Accelerated shelf-life testing was used to predict the shelf life of the product at usual rural storage conditions. The used Arrhenius model indicated that the shelf life of the sorghum porridge stored in African earthenware container imbedded with nanosilver particles can be extended to 14 days at 4&degC ± 1&degC, 6 days at 15&degC ± 5&degC, and 4 days at 30&degC ± 2&degC. The calculated Q10 values were found to be in the range of 1.5 - 2.0.

负载天然色素的生物基智能包装指示器研究进展

智能包装指示器能够基于其检测、感知和记录产品环境变化的能力为消费者提供被包装食品新鲜度、安全性或食品环境条件(温度、pH值、气体氛围)等的有效信息,是传统包装传播信息能力的延伸,并且有助于改善危害分析与关键控制点(HACCP)和质量分析与关键控制点(QACCP)系统,有助于现场检测不安全食品,识别潜在的健康危害,并制定策略以减少或消除食品安全问题发生。生物基智能包装系统因采用可降解、可再生材料向消费者直观显示包装食品在供应链中的品质相关信息,契合循环经济和可持续发展的需求而备受关注。介绍了以天然色素(花青素、叶绿素、姜黄素和甜菜素等)为敏感元件,以生物基聚合物(多糖、蛋白质、脂质和改性纤维素等)为载体的环境友好型智能包装指示器(pH值感应、时间-温度感应、气体感应等)的类型、功能适应性及其在监控食品品质、储运环境等方面的新趋势、新进展。