The food wrappings can protect and inform the customers

What are the wrappings of the future going to be? Intelligent, active and biodegradable. The scientist developed, for example, the RFID-technology utilizing wrappings, that are able to communicate with a fridge or a microwave oven, signal the customer about the necessity of consumption or transfer the preparation information. Even now, there are wrappings being used that indicate the failure to keep the proper storage temperature or that are able to prevent the bacteria from multiplying. If we combine these unique properties with biodegradability, i.e. natural degradability, we are on the right way that the future development of wrapping materials is going to pursue in the decades to come, as found out by the editorial staff of Gate2Biotech.cz and Inovace.cz portals

The rise of the next-generation wrappings is connected with the development of nanotechnologies and information technologies, as well as bioplastics - that despite the higher production costs are capable of competition with the conventional petrochemical-based plastics. The resources used for the production of the environmentally friendly bioplastics are standard agricultural products like corn, potatoes, or other natural resources, e.g.cellulose. The demand for the biodegradable plastics is on steep increase and the worldwide production of the bioplastics has increased fivefold in the first five years of the 21^st century. The difference in the production costs is the basic disadvantage of the bioplastics in comparison to the conventional plastics. However, these costs are recently successfully reduced thanks to using the GM plants.

The biodegradable wrappings could be made even more attractive by combining them with special utility properties. These properties are given by structures in the form of nanocrystals that are incorporated into the polymer matrix. The nanocomposite wrappings are capable of active change of the storage conditions of the wrapped food, thus prolonging the storage stability of the food or modify the sensory and/or nutritional properties of the stored food.

The most frequent usage case are materials that are able of elimination of the undesirable gases, such as oxygen, carbon dioxide, the air moisture - or ethylene, an important phytohormone regulating the fruit ripening. Last but not least, they can eliminate the unwanted smells caused by volatile aldehydes or amines.

The active wrappings can produce substances with antimicrobial and antioxidant effect, as well as additives, taste enhancers or even food ingredients. Currently, the active wrappings are successfully applies and used in USA, Australia and Japan, whereas in the EU their use is limited to research projects, thanks to a stern legislative.

The information and communication technologies also rise to take their place under the sun in this new field. The intelligent wrappings can monitor the state and quality of the preserved food and provide the customer with said information. Various physical properties are measured and there are indicators of temperature, microbial contamination, wrapping integrity, physical shock or product authenticity. Some of these indicators are incorporated into the wrapping itself, others are placed at the surface of it, and the information transfer is performed visually - by change of color, etc. But there can be found also more sophisticated technologies. Special RFID labels that follow and complement a system of barcodes are able of providing the complete information about the product and its history. Each member of the link between the producer and the customer can therefore find out when and how the food was prepared, what was its temperature history, what is the mechanical state of the wrapping and the inner atmosphere. In a modern household equipped with intelligent devices, the RFID-labelled wrapping can communicate directly with a fridge or a microwave oven.

The bioplastics wrappings can be already found even at our market, and the ecologically-conscious customers do not mind their higher price. The mass usage and application of wrappings capable of active regulation of the preserved food properties and communication with customer is still something to be waited for, but, as the experts say, not for long.