Polymereclay nanocomposites for food packaging

Abstract

In this chapter is an overview of synthetic and clay nanocomposites for food packaging, focusingon structural, thermo-mechanical, barrier, and optical properties. The novelty of this chapter lies inreviewing the most up-to-date bibliography related to the use of PNCs in food packaging. It highlightsthe need to modify clays when they are used as fillers for nonpolar matrices, the ability of usingnanoclays as hosts for bioactive compounds, and the possibility of using nonbiodegradable syntheticmatrices or biodegradable renewable polymers. The potential of PNCs for food packaging of bothsynthetic and natural origin, biodegradable or not, is supported by the large number of scientific worksthat are mentioned in this chapter, reporting very interesting developments and applications. Besides,future perspectives of the use of these nanocomposite materials in the food packaging industry areprojected based on their diverse functionality and great potential.