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What Is Active Packaging?

Packaging to improve sensory or safety properties, or to extend shelf-life, which changes the condition of packaged food, constitutes “active” packing, according to Informa World, a professional journal-based website. Active packaging systems were established to deal with significant differences in food preservation.

  1. Food Condition

    • Trends in consumer food preferences toward tasty, mildly preserved, convenient and fresh food products have led to the inception of many different packing systems, according to Informa World. Therefore, food condition is the determining factor when selecting the appropriate active packaging system to preserve shelf-life.

    Properties

    • Active packaging systems may involve different elements depending on the desired food condition end result, according to azom.com. Some of these elements include heating/cooling, oxygen scavenging, moisture absorbing, anti-microbial, odor and flavor absorbing/releasing and ethylene scavenging.

    Duo Purpose

    • When using active packaging to preserve the shelf-life of food, the packaging can also serve a duo purpose depending on the elements involved in the packing process, according to azom.com, a website devoted to innovation and technology. By using the anti-microbial and oxygen scavenging elements, active packaging reduces the need for additional preservatives in the perishable food stuffs. Thus the shelf-life is extended and the food stuffs maintain freshness longer and are in essence “mildly preserved.”

    Active vs. Passive

    • Although active packaging systems have been compared with modified atmosphere packaging (MAP), they are two separate systems, according to Informa World. Based on one technology, only MAP is a passive packaging system, whereas active packaging involves many different technologies. During transport and storage active packaging takes on an “active” role.

    Usage

    • Active packaging is currently being used in Japan, Australia and the United States to successfully extend the shelf-life, ensure microbiological safety and maintain nutritional quality of food stuffs, according to Informa World. The use of oxygen scavengers for beer, sliced processed meat and ready-to-eat meals, using ethylene-scavenging bags for vegetables and fruit and the use of moisture absorbers for fresh fish, fresh meat and poultry are just some examples of commercial active packaging systems presently in application.

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