Developments in the active packaging of foods

Active packaging is one of the innovative food packaging concepts that has been introduced as a response to the continuous changes in current consumer demands and market trends. Major active packaging techniques are concerned with substances that absorb oxygen, ethylene, moisture, carbon dioxide, flavours/odours and those which release carbon dioxide, antimicrobial agents, antioxidants and flavours. The main objectives of this article are to. (1) provide a literature review about the different types of active packaging concepts with respect to mechanism of action, effectiveness and the effects on foods, (2) provide a state of the art about the experimental development and commercialization of active packaging concepts, (3) provide a scope of applications and (4) discuss the obstacles to be overcome in order to make extensive commercial application of active packaging in Europe feasible.