Food MArketing & Technology In India Food Marketing & Technology In India Vol 10 | Page 42

Packaging
INTELLIGENT PACKAGING SYSTEMS:
A NEXT GENERATION TECHNOLOGY
food poisoning. It also helps food
industries in maximising the efficiency
and in improving product traceability.
BY: MANDEEP KAUR *
T
he packaging is a very important
aspect for any commodity, as it
separates the products from the
external environment. The packaging
is assumed to serve four basic functions
such as: protection; communication;
convenience; and containment. In
addition to its benefits like improved
marketing and distribution, packaging
can also retard product deterioration,
retain the beneficial effects of
processing, extend shelf-life, and
maintain or increase the quality and
safety of food. However, packaging is
not capable of eliminating complete
quality losses because the intrinsic
properties of highly perishable foods
change after processing.
While we are addressing the
importance of packaging, it is also
important to mention here that the
packaging industry nowadays is
witnessing the latest trends towards
sustainability,
improved
product
safety, and high-quality standards. The
packaging industry is also driven by
the changes in consumer preferences
for safe food that demands innovations
in packaging technologies. Researchers
and scientists are making their way in
order to achieve these requirements.
integration into packaging materials
or systems. The purpose of this article
is to offer a perspective of developing
the next generation of intelligent food
packaging systems that can be easily
integrated into future food packaging
materials in a modular way.
Need for Intelligent
Packaging in the Food Industry
The major part of the food is being lost
during transportation and storage. In
order to reduce this unintentional food
wastage, the concept of intelligent
packaging systems could be utilised.
The processed food undergoes many
microbiological and chemical tests at
the company level during production
and before delivery. But in most
scenarios, there is no proper control
over the product quality when they are
being delivered to supermarket and
stored in warehouses. Here intelligent
packaging plays a significant role by
closing this gap. These systems are
capable of monitoring and displaying
the quality status from the point of
manufacture up to the end customer.
This monitoring not only minimises
unintentional food waste but also
protects consumers from potential
Intelligent packaging technology is a
new concept becoming more popular
in the food sector. By definition, the
intelligent packaging systems are
those that monitor the condition
of packaged food in order to give
information regarding its quality
during transportation and storage.
These technologies are developed
and designed to meet the increasing
demand for safer foods with better
shelf life. The market for intelligent
packaging systems is expected to
have a promising future by their
Food Marketing & Technology
42
August 2019
Intelligent System Categories
Intelligent systems can be classified
into three main categories i.e. sensors,
indicators
and
radiofrequency
identification (RFID) systems
Sensors: The developments in the
areas of sensors and biosensors have
enabled the expansion of new materials,
devices, and multifunctional sensing
systems to monitor food quality,
safety, or spoilage. These advanced
sensing systems usually monitor gas
production, humidity, temperature,
and microorganisms’ growth within
packaged food. The sensor-based
technology has great potential for
applications in food packaging and
it has brought us one step closer to
enable real-time monitoring of food
throughout the supply chain.
Indicators: As the name suggests they
can be used to indicate the presence,
absence or concentration of another
substance. They may also indicate the
degree of reaction if it has taken place
between two or more substances by
means of a characteristic change such
as: change in colour.