Minimal Processing and Preservation of Fruits and Vegetables by Active Packaging

Packaging should protect the product from contamination and prevent it from spoilage. Packaging has normally been expected to be inert towards the packaged product, but the potential for packaging to put in to the quality retention and the convenience of packaged goods was not utilized. In response to the dynamic changes in current market trends and consumer demand, the area of Active Packaging (AP) is becoming increasingly significant. Active packaging changes the condition of the packed foods with the use of the incorporation of certain additives into the packaging films or inside the packaging headspaces so as to extend the product's shelf life. Principal AP systems include those that involve moisture absorption and control, oxygen scavenging, carbon dioxide and ethanol generation, and antimicrobial (AM) migrating and non-migrating systems.