Active biopackaging based on proteins

Abstract

The globalization of food markets and increasing concerns on food stability and control lead researchers and industrial companies to develop active and intelligent packaging materials. Antioxidant active packaging seeks to prevent or slow down the oxidation of certain food components, like lipids and proteins, which lead to the deterioration of physical characteristics of food products. In order to control undesirable microorganisms in food surfaces, natural or synthetic antimicrobial agents can be incorporated into polymer coatings. Potassium sorbate, the potassium salt of sorbic acid, has a long history and is generally recognized as a safe food preservative, being widely used to inhibit or retard the growing of a number of recognized food pathogens. In the seafood processing industry, a substantial amount of by-products are generated, that can be used to recover proteins to prepare films and restructured seafood products. The antimicrobial packaging mainly targets the food surface on which microbiological changes occur most intensively.