According to the latest official data, the global market of food packaging is worth $440 billion worldwide (about 2% of the gross national product of developed countries), with an annual increase of 10%. The food industry uses almost 65% of all packaging placed on the market, and the impact of the packaging on the retail cost of food is between 19% and 50%. Almost 40% of the total packaging is made of plastic. The growth rate of the market of plastic packaging in the last few years for both flexible and rigid plastic packages has been about 7%, the highest compared with other materials (glass 2%, metal 6%, paper 6%, and others including wood 3%). These impressive numbers clearly explain why many of the world's largest food packaging companies are actively exploring the potential of polymer nanotechnology in order to obtain new food packaging materials with improved properties and also to be able to trace and monitor the condition of food during transport and storage. Polymer nanotechnology, described as the next great frontier of material science in food packaging, with applications predicted to grow rapidly in the coming years, is currently developed to mainly improve barrier performance pertaining to gases, such as oxygen and carbon dioxide. Once perfected, sure from a safety point of view, and produced at a competitive ratio cost/performance, the new PNFP will be very attractive for use in several food packaging applications. This book aims at looking at the complete life cycle of the packaging based on polymer nanomaterials (raw material selection; production, structure, and properties characterization; analysis of interaction with food; and marketing, application, use, and disposal) through the contribution of several experts with the final objective of considering a balance between cost and performance, risk and benefit, and health and environmental issues, as well as the assessment of risk-benefit, and of identifying the barriers (in research and technology, safety, technology transfer, and communication) that prevent a complete successful development of the new technology and strategies to proceed further. It is divided into 13 chapters and covers the current developments in nanotechnology for food packaging application by providing a comprehensive review focusing on applications that are most likely to be accepted by consumers and attract regulatory attention in the immediate future.Chapter 1 provides a general introduction to the topic, focusing on current issues and future trends. Chapter 2 introduces an "ethical design," as a concept that puts into practice key ideas like the precautionary principle, and presents a model of accountability, responsibility, and ethical consideration commensurate with the current understanding of all sorts of risks and hazards, whether they are known, unknown, or unknowable. The book then dwells into science: Chapters 3 and 4 are dedicated to the characterization of these novel materials, investigating the evolution of the rheology and of the structure and morphology with regard to processing conditions and kind of constituents. The interesting application of plasma technologies in the field of food packaging materials for production of barrier coatings on polymeric materials by nonequilibrium gas discharges is illustrated in Chapter 5. The main aspects of nanomaterials for food packaging from oil polymers (polyolefins) and from renewable resource polymers are discussed sequentially in Chapters 6 and 7 in order to better compare both kinds of materials. Chapters 8 and 9 deal with two specific innovative applications: the use of cellulose nanowhiskers for food biopackaging and edible nano-laminate coatings. The general issues linked to interactions of nanomaterials with food are covered in Chapter 10. Some examples of degradation under natural weathering exposure and recycling are provided in Chapters 11 and 12. Chapter 13 concludes the book with an overview on the rapidly evolving and expanding field of the usage of polymer nanocomposite materials for food packaging application. Each chapter contains a complete list of references elated to the topic. The book intends to show the reader that nanomaterials offer some exciting benefits to the food industry, including better materials for food packaging as well as safer foods on supermarket shelves that have lower incidences of contamination with chemical adulterants and potentially life-threatening microorganisms. The applications reviewed here were specifically chosen because they are the most likely nanofood products to be accepted by consumers in the short term. The science community must continue to be stalwart against the potential dangers that the use of this new technology will pose, and successful and safe implementation of these applications will require constant dialogue between scientists, technologists, and consumers. If these endeavors are successful, the benefits of nanotechnology may play an important role in making the world's food supply healthier, safer, and more plentiful. This book is therefore addressed not only to researchers and engineers that actively work in the field of nanocomposites for food packaging but also to newcomers and students who have just started investigations in this multidisciplinary field of science. We are indebted to all the authors for their worthy contributions; without their expertise, dedication, and hard work, the publication of this book would not have been possible. Many thanks are due to Dr. Marilena Pezzuto from ICTP-CNR, Italy, for her precious contribution in homogenizing all the manuscripts sent to the press and to the Taylor & Francis Group editorial staff and for her professionalism and wholehearted support. All the authors are participating in the European activity Cost Action FA0904 "Eco-sustainable food packaging based on polymer nanomaterials," and they thankfully acknowledge the support of the action that is making possible the constitution of an impressive international scientific and technology network on issues related to the preservation, conservation, and distribution of high-quality and safe food through polymer nanomaterials.
Ecosustainable Polymer Nanomaterials for Food Packaging
2013
Abstract
According to the latest official data, the global market of food packaging is worth $440 billion worldwide (about 2% of the gross national product of developed countries), with an annual increase of 10%. The food industry uses almost 65% of all packaging placed on the market, and the impact of the packaging on the retail cost of food is between 19% and 50%. Almost 40% of the total packaging is made of plastic. The growth rate of the market of plastic packaging in the last few years for both flexible and rigid plastic packages has been about 7%, the highest compared with other materials (glass 2%, metal 6%, paper 6%, and others including wood 3%). These impressive numbers clearly explain why many of the world's largest food packaging companies are actively exploring the potential of polymer nanotechnology in order to obtain new food packaging materials with improved properties and also to be able to trace and monitor the condition of food during transport and storage. Polymer nanotechnology, described as the next great frontier of material science in food packaging, with applications predicted to grow rapidly in the coming years, is currently developed to mainly improve barrier performance pertaining to gases, such as oxygen and carbon dioxide. Once perfected, sure from a safety point of view, and produced at a competitive ratio cost/performance, the new PNFP will be very attractive for use in several food packaging applications. This book aims at looking at the complete life cycle of the packaging based on polymer nanomaterials (raw material selection; production, structure, and properties characterization; analysis of interaction with food; and marketing, application, use, and disposal) through the contribution of several experts with the final objective of considering a balance between cost and performance, risk and benefit, and health and environmental issues, as well as the assessment of risk-benefit, and of identifying the barriers (in research and technology, safety, technology transfer, and communication) that prevent a complete successful development of the new technology and strategies to proceed further. It is divided into 13 chapters and covers the current developments in nanotechnology for food packaging application by providing a comprehensive review focusing on applications that are most likely to be accepted by consumers and attract regulatory attention in the immediate future.Chapter 1 provides a general introduction to the topic, focusing on current issues and future trends. Chapter 2 introduces an "ethical design," as a concept that puts into practice key ideas like the precautionary principle, and presents a model of accountability, responsibility, and ethical consideration commensurate with the current understanding of all sorts of risks and hazards, whether they are known, unknown, or unknowable. The book then dwells into science: Chapters 3 and 4 are dedicated to the characterization of these novel materials, investigating the evolution of the rheology and of the structure and morphology with regard to processing conditions and kind of constituents. The interesting application of plasma technologies in the field of food packaging materials for production of barrier coatings on polymeric materials by nonequilibrium gas discharges is illustrated in Chapter 5. The main aspects of nanomaterials for food packaging from oil polymers (polyolefins) and from renewable resource polymers are discussed sequentially in Chapters 6 and 7 in order to better compare both kinds of materials. Chapters 8 and 9 deal with two specific innovative applications: the use of cellulose nanowhiskers for food biopackaging and edible nano-laminate coatings. The general issues linked to interactions of nanomaterials with food are covered in Chapter 10. Some examples of degradation under natural weathering exposure and recycling are provided in Chapters 11 and 12. Chapter 13 concludes the book with an overview on the rapidly evolving and expanding field of the usage of polymer nanocomposite materials for food packaging application. Each chapter contains a complete list of references elated to the topic. The book intends to show the reader that nanomaterials offer some exciting benefits to the food industry, including better materials for food packaging as well as safer foods on supermarket shelves that have lower incidences of contamination with chemical adulterants and potentially life-threatening microorganisms. The applications reviewed here were specifically chosen because they are the most likely nanofood products to be accepted by consumers in the short term. The science community must continue to be stalwart against the potential dangers that the use of this new technology will pose, and successful and safe implementation of these applications will require constant dialogue between scientists, technologists, and consumers. If these endeavors are successful, the benefits of nanotechnology may play an important role in making the world's food supply healthier, safer, and more plentiful. This book is therefore addressed not only to researchers and engineers that actively work in the field of nanocomposites for food packaging but also to newcomers and students who have just started investigations in this multidisciplinary field of science. We are indebted to all the authors for their worthy contributions; without their expertise, dedication, and hard work, the publication of this book would not have been possible. Many thanks are due to Dr. Marilena Pezzuto from ICTP-CNR, Italy, for her precious contribution in homogenizing all the manuscripts sent to the press and to the Taylor & Francis Group editorial staff and for her professionalism and wholehearted support. All the authors are participating in the European activity Cost Action FA0904 "Eco-sustainable food packaging based on polymer nanomaterials," and they thankfully acknowledge the support of the action that is making possible the constitution of an impressive international scientific and technology network on issues related to the preservation, conservation, and distribution of high-quality and safe food through polymer nanomaterials.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
