Film Based Packaging for Food Safety and Preservation: Issues and Perspectives

The extensive production of conventional plastics and their use in various food industries as packaging materials create a significant threat to the environment. This ends up creating problems concerned with performance, processing, and overall cost, thus being a big question in dealing with these non-renewable materials. The bioplastics evolved during development of renewable resources. As a part of the consequences to the dynamic changes in the present demand of customer and market scenario, the film-based active packaging system is of huge importance. The application of packaging systems is not to pose as a “wrap on,” hence lowering the quality control. It should, anyway, serve as an “add on” for the protective measures taken to assure the safety and best quality of foods. This chapter aims to compile information on types of active food packaging systems, its commercial applications meant for improving food safety and quality with the extension of its life. It also describes various critical factors to be considered for commercialization, current market strategy, and legislative considerations, and application of bioplastic as packaging materials to meet ever-growing consumer demands with comparatively high quality fresh produce. © Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021