Bioactive Packaging: Combining Nanotechnologies with Packaging for Improved Food Functionality

Abstract

Bioactive packaging has the unique role of enhancing food impact over the consumers? health through the creation of healthier packaged foods. In this sense, it can be considered as an innovative strategy in the production of functional foods. This chapter focuses on the application of nanotechnology to this area in order to open new possibilities for improving the effectiveness of these packages. It analyses the requirements of current food packaging, describes the main bioactive compounds for the preparation of bioactive packaging and studies the development of nano-sized carrier systems and different strategies in the preparation of nano-structured packaging materials to improve the stability, dispersibility, availability and transport of bioactive compounds.