IDM | Packaging
Oxygen and undesired
reactions
AIP: Platform for Active and Intelligent Packaging
At present up to a third of all food is thrown away. Active and intelligent
packaging systems can help reduce this wastage. Active packaging
systems are able to prolong food quality, whilst intelligent packaging
systems contain indicators which display quality parameters.
The development of active and intelligent packaging systems is a
very dynamic area of research which is complex and intricate, even
for scientific organizations working in this area. This is why the Platform
for Active and Intelligent Packaging (AIP) was initiated to collate
information about active and intelligent packaging systems. The AIP
Platform is an EU project within the CORNET research program for
supporting small and medium-sized enterprises. The impetus for the
project was the fact that there are many patents and publications
about AIP systems but few commercial applications. The aim was to
develop a platform for AIP systems via which existing results could be
collated, evaluated, validated, and made available.
The project involved 7 associations, 7 research organizations, and
more than 40 SMEs in Germany, Austria, Belgium, Hungary, the Netherlands,
Slovenia, and Spain. These organizations and companies carried
out cooperative work on antimicrobial packaging systems, oxygen scavengers,
freshness indicators, time/temperature indicators, and tracking
systems, the project was organized by a.o. Fraunhofer Institute for
Process Engineering and Packaging (IVV). A conference in October 2011
at the Fraunhofer IVV highlighted the project results and findings.
Dr. Rieblinger (Fraunhofer IVV) explained the key role of oxygen in
undesired reactions. There is often some oxygen in the packaging
after the packing process emanating from foods. Greater caution has
to be taken with fatty foods than watery foods because fats can dissolve
up to 6 times more oxygen than water.
Dr. Müller (also from the Fraunhofer IVV) gave an overview of oxygen
scavengers. They come in a variety of forms: separate elements
(labels and sachets), closures for bottles, PET bottles with oxygenabsorbing
additives in the plastic, oxygen-scavengers incorporated
into films, and/or for further processing into trays. A key step for
the wider industrial acceptance of oxygen-scavengers is the standardization
of test methods. A DIN work group on “Active packaging
– oxygen-scavengers” is tackling this issue.
O2Control’s oxygen-scavenger Freshcare can prolong the shelflife
of foods by up to four fold. The use of this oxygen-scavenger
also means that preservatives do not have to be used. One area
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A multinational approach for active and intelligent packaging
systems was made by the AIP Platform
of application is for organic products where the use of additives
is not permitted.
Shelfplus from Albis Plastic contains iron powder which reacts with
oxygen. Multilayer films containing this additive can be used for bags,
trays, and tubes to absorb oxygen from the packaging headspace. It also
reduces the oxygen transmission, namely it provides an active barrier.
Fraunhofer IVV have developed a system based on sorbic acid. Ms
Hauser explained that sorbic acid is naturally present in berries and is
commonly used as a preservative in many foods. High acceptance of
this system can thus be expected. Tests on cheese were successful.
Bacterial growth was significantly reduced.
Fraunhofer IVV pointed out that EU Regulation 450/2009 applies
for active and intelligent packaging systems. In addition, active and
intelligent materials, like all packaging materials, are subject to EU
Framework Regulation 1935/2004. They must be evaluated by EFSA
and then be approved by the European Commission. There is still
a need for clarification in Europe about this relative new area. The
positive list for EU Regulation 450/2009 must be drawn up. The EFSA
evaluation process is however not yet complete.
A CD containing the conference presentations is available from
Fraunhofer IVV for €150 (€125 for IVLV members). Contact Sven
Sängerlaub: sven.saengerlaub@ivv.fraunhofer.de.