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Information on Active Packaging

Active packaging is food packaging that regulates the condition of the contents, boosting shelf life while maintaining quality and safety. Active packaging uses different technologies to address specific concerns from dehydration to insects.

  1. Types

    • Different types of active packaging may contain moisture absorbers for meat, fish, and poultry, ethylene scavengers to slow ripening of produce, oxygen scavengers for deli meat, odor absorbers and antimicrobial materials.

    Active Vs. Intelligent Packaging

    • Active packaging is activated by environmental triggers and stays active until exhausted, while intelligent packaging switches on and off as needed and provides information about the status of the contents, such as temperature and spoilage, according to AZOM.com.

    Other Facts

    • While the U.S., Australia and Japan are already using active packaging, Europe has been slower to adopt it. This is due to a lack of knowledge about them, as well as legislative hurdles, according to "Active Packaging" by N. de Kruijfa and M.D. van Beesta.

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