Food packaging has a lot in store for everyone in the extended supply chain, from raw material suppliers to consumers. Consumers can look forward to smart labels that can help them keep tabs on what products are about to spoil as well as packaging that will actually fight bacterial growth. Meanwhile, suppliers, manufacturers and retailers may soon enjoy unprecedented supply chain visibility and security, as packaging is being developed to detect even the subtlest tampering. Here are the latest developments:

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)

RFID technology represents an exciting food packaging innovation. Attaching an RFID tag to a package makes it "intelligent" because this silicon chip functions as a mobile database, holding valuable information, such as the product's history, location and destination. The data that these tags contain can be updated and read in bulk by radio waves.

Active tag technology, in which the tags are able to power themselves, has been the focus for a while, but recently, lower-cost passive RFID technology has inspired tremendous development work as well. In this system, the tags derive power from the radio frequency that provides the means of communication with scanners. These affordable, disposable tags are highly promising because they can label all items individually and cost-effectively.

RFID tags provide much more traceability in food packaging than bar code labels because the tags can be scanned without direct line of sight. This makes bulk reading possible on pallets. Most significantly, the tags can be read locally without referring to a remote database.

Even if RFID technology is not deployed on an individual item basis, it can still provide a great deal of visibility when attached to containers carrying products throughout the supply chain. Storing such information as product identification codes and special instructions, RFID tags can make inventory management more efficient and more precise. With this technology, perishability can become less of a concern because deliveries can be received quickly, without the need for manual processing.

Aside from supply chain applications, RFID also has a lot of potential for in-home use. For example, consumers may someday be able to keep track of what's inside Internet-linked refrigerators and freezers, and can tell when a product needs to be reordered. And that's just the beginning. Such appliances could also read use-by dates. The computer system linked to these devices will then generate a weekly shopping list, make recipe recommendations, and warn consumers when a product is approaching its expiration date. Microwaves could also be outfitted with RFID antennas, allowing them to read cooking instructions on tags, including cooking time and power, and follow them accordingly.

Antimicrobial Containers

Antimicrobial package materials are designed to impede the growth of microorganisms in packaged foods. There are many types of materials being used in such active packaging, including migrating and non-migrating materials, says Joe Hotchkiss of Cornell University. Migrating substances are able to fight microorganisms by moving from the package material to the food.

Non-migrating compounds are also an effective option. They may not be able to leave the package material, but they hold several advantages. They could provide long-acting protection, avoid interacting with the food itself and be less affected by regulatory requirements.

Food producers and distributors can already avail of what manufacturer Orbis is saying is the country's first antimicrobial food container. Orbis developed the packaging by adding Microban antimicrobial protection to its plastic food containers. Microban, an additive made by Microban Products Co., prevents the spread of bacteria, mold, mildew and fungi by infiltrating the microbes' cell walls and destroying their reproductive capabilities. It gives food products increased protection through container washings.

Microban is "uniformly distributed throughout the plastic, so that any portion of plastic that contacts a food product is protected," says Debra Salemi, senior product manager for Orbis. Incorporating the additive has no detrimental effect on container strength and durability, she adds. Customers can request the additive on any container in the Orbis line, raising the container price by about 25%.

Active Packaging

Active packaging technologies are improving and gaining in popularity. New developments such as sulfur dioxide release, ethylene scavenging and visible tamper evidence are joining oxygen scavenging technology, which is already growing rapidly.

Regulatory authorities may not be ready to embrace sulfur dioxide because it tends to cause allergic reactions, but it is proving effective in extending shelf life and is useful to grape-growers and marketers. Sulfur dioxide release technology continuously forms sulfur dioxide when water vapor is present. One example of packaging that utilizes this technology is a new fiberboard material that contains an organic acid with a calcium sulfite layer.

The second development—ethylene scavenging—is based on an old concept. Traditional potassium permanganate pouches have been used for years to eliminate excess respiratory and environmental ethylene from fresh produce pallets to increase their shelf life. Now researchers at Food Science Australia are adding ethylene-specific tetrazine compounds, which remove ethylene within hours.

The Australian group has also developed visible tamper evidence technology. Used for flexible packaging, it responds to even the slightest form of tampering—such as a pin prick—initiating a large-area physical color change on the surface of the packaging to alert consumers. Because it ensures package integrity, it also benefits suppliers, producers and retailers.

Indeed, "active" and "intelligent" describe the future of food packaging, and many stand to gain from such packaging innovations, from raw material suppliers to consumers.

Sources: Active and Intelligent Packaging: The Saga Continues
Aaron L. Brody
Food Technology, Dec. 2002
http://www.ift.org/publications/docshop/ft_shop/ftindex.shtml

First Antimicrobial Containers Debut
Modern Materials Handling, Feb. 1, 2003
http://www.manufacturing.net/mmh