Food packaging systems with antimicrobial agents

Abstract

Food quality and safety are primary concerns in the food industry. Biopolymer-based antimicrobial packaging has been considered an emerging technology that has a significant influence on sustaining food quality and extending the shelf life of packaged foods (Shankar et al. 2016). Antimicrobial films can be described, as some polymer matrixes may be loaded with antimicrobial compounds, such as essential oils (EOs), metal ions, or preservative compounds (Birck et al. 2016). An antibacterial polymer is a system that covers a polymer matrix and an antimicrobial compound that inhibits the growth of microorganisms (Urbankova et al. 2015). Today, consumer concerns are increasing toward biodegradable, edible, renewable 432films and coatings suitable for food packaging applications, and biopolymer films are gaining more significance