28

Intelligent packaging extends the

life of food products and helps
guarantee quality. Rodney Abbott
examines the latest technologies

Intelligent paper
packaging unwrapped
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A ctive paper packaging is used in
modified atmosphere packaging
(MAP), whereas intelligent paper
paper-based products also have a leading role
to play, particularly for paper-like barrier
materials. The consumer undoubtedly prefers
packaging has found applications in the the look and feel of paper to film, and much
logistics and security sectors. work has been done on developing paper-
laminated structures by firms such as Danisco.
Modified atmosphere packaging is big
business. This virile sector is expected to grow Active paper packaging disciplines are used to
by 10–15% over the next five years. In change the condition of packaged food to
addition, the pundits are convinced that over extend shelf life or to enhance safety or
50% of all European fresh red meat will be sensory properties while maintaining food
centrally packaged. One has only to look at quality. These include systems that will absorb
estimates for the market size of case-ready oxygen, ethylene and moisture or remove
beef, pork and lamb over the past five years to compounds that may cause tainting. Other
see that these figures may even lean towards active packaging systems release antimicrobial
modesty. The forecast for next year is 1.2 agents, antioxidants, flavours and/or colours.
million tonnes.
In-pack oxygen scavenging involves the use of
MAP is growing in popularity throughout a variety of forms of scavenger. Sachets merely
Europe because more and more retailers inserted into the food package constitute most
recognise the financial benefits of marketing of the present systems in commerce.
fresh foods which have been prepared and Alternatively, the scavenger can be hot-melt
packed in central preparation units, rather bonded to the inner wall of the package.
than prepared back store.
So materials are being developed continuously
If you are packaging in a central unit, the to run at higher speeds, give better pack
shelf life of the product must be sufficient to security and better hermetic sealability.
survive both the distribution time to the store,
as well as the display time in store. It is About 20–30% of sachets and labels are
absolutely clear that the industry is moving paper based. As a material, paper is much
more and more to central packaging, if only more cost-effective, but is not suited for use
for greater cost effectiveness. Without a in applications where the product comes into
barrier pack, products like fresh red meat direct contact with food. EMCO Packaging
would only have a shelf life of just three to Systems supply one such product, the ATCO
four days. With a modified atmosphere pack, 02 scavenger. This combined oxygen emitter
fresh red meat lasts for seven days or more. and carbon dioxide absorber has been
developed to support elevated O2 controlled-
While multiple plastics structures have atmosphere packaging of fresh produce. It has
undoubtedly taken the market by storm, been designed to compensate for the effects of

‘
Modified
atmoshere
packaging is big
business. This
virile sector is
expected to grow
by 10–15% over

’
the next five years.

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product respiratory activity on the gas developed, which would help to prolong the
composition of the pack atmosphere, shelf life of fresh food such as salads.
maintaining it at the optimum by gradually
releasing O2 and absorbing CO2. Table 1 lists examples of active packaging
systems, some of which may offer extended
Unlike sachets, however, which are loose in shelf-life opportunities for new categories of
the pack and can be mistaken for salt sachets food products.
or other edible extras, the label format can be
applied in-line to the top web, making it The main advantage of using oxygen
virtually invisible to the consumer. In scavengers is that they are capable of reducing
addition, the labels are said to be smaller oxygen levels to less than 0.01%, which is
than similar competitors’ products, and offer much lower that the typical 0.3–3.0% residual
a faster reaction time. An EMCO spokesman oxygen levels achievable by modified
says an O2-emitting product is also being atmosphere packaging. Oxygen scavengers can

Table 1 Selected examples of active packaging systems

Active packaging system Mechanisms Food applications

Oxygen scavengers 1 iron-based bread, cakes, cooked rice, biscuits, pizza,
2 metal/acid pasta, cheese, cured meats and fish,
3 metal (e.g. platinum) catalyst coffee, snack foods, dried foods and
4 ascorbate/metallic salts beverages
5 enzyme-based
Carbon dioxide 1 iron oxide/calcium hydroxide coffee, fresh meats and fish, nuts
scavengers/emitters 2 ferrous carbonate/metal halide and other snack food products and
3 calcium oxide/activated charcoal sponge cakes
4 ascorbate/sodium bicarbonate
Ethylene scavengers 1 potassium permanganate fruit, vegetables and other
2 activated carbon horticultural products
3 activated clays/zeolites
Preservative releasers 1 organic acids cereals, meats, fish, bread, cheese,
2 silver zeolite snack foods, fruit and vegetables
3 spice and herb extracts
4 BHA/BHT antioxidants
5 vitamin E antioxidant
Ethanol emitters 1 alcohol spray pizza crusts, cakes, bread, biscuits, fish
2 encapsulated ethanol and bakery products
Moisture absorbers 1 PVA blanket fish, meats, poultry, snack foods,
2 activated clays and minerals cereals, dried foods, sandwiches, fruit
3 silica gel and vegetables
Flavour/odour adsorbers 1 cellulose triacetate fruit juices, fried snack foods, fish,
2 acetylated paper cereals, poultry, dairy products and fruit
3 citric acid
4 ferrous salt/ascorbate
5 activated carbon/clays/zeolites
Lactose and cholesterol removers 1 lactase milk and other dairy products
2 cholesterol reductase
Temperature control packaging 1 non-woven plastics ready meals, meats, fish, poultry and
2 double walled containers beverages
3 hydrofluorocarbon gas
4 lime/water
5 ammonium nitrate/water

Source: courtesy, CCFRA New Technologies Bulletin No. 17

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be used alone or in combination with MAP. Active and intelligent packaging
Their use alone eliminates the need for MAP
machinery and can increase packaging speeds. Active packaging
However, it is usually more common Concepts that actively influence the condition
commercially to remove most of the of the food in order to extend shelf life and to
atmospheric oxygen by MAP and then use a improve quality of the packed food.
relatively small and inexpensive scavenger to
mop up the residual oxygen remaining within Intelligent packaging
the food package. Concepts that monitor and/or give
information about the history and/or quality
Non-metallic oxygen scavengers have also of the packed food, for example through time-
been developed to alleviate the potential for temperature indicators.
metallic taints being imparted to food
products. The problem of inadvertently setting
off in-line metal detectors is also alleviated, usually contain ferrous carbonate and a metal
although some modern detectors can now be halide catalyst, although non-ferrous variants
tuned to phase out the scavenger signal whilst are available.
retaining high sensitivity for ferrous and non-
ferrous metallic contaminants. Non-metallic Taint represents another problem faced by
scavengers include those that use organic packaging technologists. Swedish company
reducing agents such as ascorbic acid, EKA Noble in cooperation with Dutch
ascorbate salts or catechol. They also include company Akzo, have developed a range of
enzymic oxygen scavenger systems using synthetic aluminosilicate zeolites, which they
either glucose oxidase or ethanol oxidase claim adsorb odorous gases within their highly
which could be incorporated into sachets, porous structure. Their BMHTM powder can be
adhesive labels or immobilised onto packaging incorporated into packaging materials,
film surfaces. especially those that are paper-based, and
apparently odorous aldehydes are adsorbed in
Carbon dioxide-emitting sachet and label the pore interstices of the powder.
devices can either be used alone or combined
with an oxygen scavenger. An example of the The use of active packaging is becoming
former is the VerifraisTM package, increasingly popular, and many new
manufactured by Codimer sarl (Paris, France), opportunities will open up for using this
which has been used for extending the shelf- technology in the future. The problem with
life of fresh meats and fish. This innovative developing active and intelligent
package consists of a standard MAP tray but technologies is that – when a fresh
has a perforated false bottom under which a component is added to food and beverage
porous sachet containing sodium packs – the integrity of the pack is
bicarbonate/ascorbate is positioned. When jeopardised, if only because there is no
juice exudate from modified atmosphere watchdog in place to maintain a level
packed meat or fish drips onto the sachet, playing field. However, programmes such
carbon dioxide is emitted and this as Actipak, supported by the EC as part of

‘
antimicrobial gas can replace the carbon its fair research and development programme,
The use of active dioxide already absorbed by the fresh food, have been established to pave the way for
packaging is thus avoiding pack collapse. legislation that would allow European
becoming companies to compete with their more
increasingly Pack collapse or the development of a partial active US counterparts.
vacuum can also be a problem for foods
popular, and many
packed with an oxygen scavenger. To Actipak now consists of 12 international
new opportunities
overcome this problem, dual-action oxygen research bodies coordinated by the TNO
will open up for scavenger/carbon dioxide emitter sachets and Nutrition and Food Research Institute of the
using this labels have been developed which absorb Netherlands. Other partners include Finland’s
technology in the oxygen and generate an equal volume of VTT Biotechnology, the University of

’
future. carbon dioxide. These sachets and labels Compostela in Spain, ADRIAC of France,

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Table 2 Selected commercial oxygen scavenger systems

Manufacturer Country Trade name Scavenger mechanism Packaging form

Mitsubishi Gas Chemical Co. Ltd. Japan Ageless iron-based sachets and labels
Toppan Printing Co. Ltd Japan Freshilizer iron-based sachets
Toagosei Chem. Industry Co. Ltd Japan Vitalon iron-based sachets
Nippon Soda Co. Ltd Japan Seagul iron-based sachets
Finetec Co. Ltd Japan Sanso-Cut iron-based sachets
Toyo Seikan Kaisha Ltd. Japan Oxyguard iron-based plastic trays
Multisorb Technologies Inc. USA FreshMax iron-based labels
FreshPax iron-based labels
Fresh Pack iron-based labels
BP Amoco Chemicals USA Amosorb PET copolyester plastic film
Chevron Chemicals USA N/A benzyl acrylate plastic film
W.R. Grace Co. Ltd USA PureSeal ascorbate/ metallic salts bottle crowns
CSIRO/Southcorp Packaging Australia Zero2 photo-sensitive dye/ plastic film
organic compound
CMB Technologies France Oxbar* cobalt catalyst plastic bottles
Standa Industrie France Atco iron-based sachets
Oxycap iron-based bottle crowns
Amberley Adhesive Labels Ltd. UK Atco iron-based labels
Johnson Matthey Plc UK N/A platinum group metal catalyst labels
Bioka Ltd Finland Bioka enzyme-based sachets

*development suspended since 1990

Source: courtesy, CCFRA New Technologies Bulletin No. 17

Ghent University in Belgium, Pira, TM Europe Some intelligent packaging concepts are
of France, and Danone Biscuit Branch, France. already commercially available and their use
increases constantly. New concepts of leak
The development and testing of smart indicators and freshness indicators are
packaging concepts (package indicators) patented and it can be expected that more
which give information on the microbial new products will become available
quality and safety of packaged food products commercially in the near future. VTT
is one of the focuses of the packaging research Biotechnology’s senior research scientist,
currently being undertaken at VTT Maria Smolander, believes that the use of
Biotechnology, based at Espoo in Finland. quality and safety indicating tags in certain
Other main packaging research topics at VTT easily perishable packaged products will
are modified atmosphere packaging, active become statutory within the coming years.
packaging and precision packaging, as well as
non-destructive checking of package integrity. In addition to the development of new
intelligent packaging concepts, VTT is working
For many perishable products, exclusion of on other aspects of this field. In a national
oxygen and high concentration of CO2 project funded by Finnish Ministry of
improve the stability of the product as the Agriculture and Forestry, and coordinated by
growth of aerobic micro-organisms is the Association of Finnish Fish Retailers and
prevented. As a result of potential package Wholesalers, the suitability of the commercial
leak, the protecting atmosphere is lost. time–temperature indicators for the quality
Package leak can also increase the microbial evaluation of packaged fish products is
spoilage by enabling the product currently being studied.
contamination with harmful micro-organisms.
It is possible to check the package integrity The sensory and microbiological quality of the
immediately after packaging procedure, but fish products is evaluated as a function of
a leak indicator attached into the package time in different constant and variable
gives information on the package integrity temperature conditions. Simultaneously,
throughout the whole distribution chain. different time–temperature indicators chosen

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The Actipak project according to the existing shelf-life data of the
products and attached to the surface of the
Evaluating safety, effectiveness, economic retail packages are monitored visually and
and environmental impact and consumer instrumentally. The rate of the indicator
acceptance of active and intelligent colour change at particular temperature
packaging conditions is compared with the changes in
the quality of the fish product.
Background
Begun January 1999, this is a three-year, In the project, the manufacturers, wholesalers
EC-funded project involving organisations and retailers are working in close
from 12 countries. collaboration and an open discussion of the
In Europe, the development and possibilities and challenges of smart packaging
application of active and intelligent is taking place. This project will provide the
packaging systems has been limited. The main industry with a valuable knowledge required
reasons are legislative restrictions, a lack of in the decision making in the potential
knowledge about their acceptability to implementation of smart packaging concepts.
consumers, and the efficacy and economic and
environmental impact of such concepts. Today, the commercially available smart
packaging concepts are labels reacting with a
Project tasks visible change in response to time and
The key tasks are: temperature indicators or, in the case of leak
■ an in-depth review of technologies, and freshness indicators, the presence of
legislation, markets and consumer needs and certain chemical compounds. In the future it
trends in active and intelligent packaging can be expected that a smart package will
■ studying the analytical composition and contain more complex invisible messages that
migration behaviour of selected concepts can be read at a distance. A label could be
and testing of combinations of food and introduced as a chip, but advances in ink
packaging technology might enable the use of clever
■ investigating: printed circuits as well.
– the safety of concepts through microbial
safety analysis and assessment of the risks The security tags and radio frequency identity
from false indications tags are the first examples of electronic
– the effectiveness of the concept’s sensory, labelling. In addition to informing on product
microbial and chemical shelf life capacity identification, date of manufacture and price,
– the efficiency of the concepts as scavengers electronic tags could also function as a time-
of, for example, oxygen, ethylene, etc. temperature, leak and/or freshness indicator.
■ examination of toxicological properties, It is also thought possible that the advances in
economic and environmental effects and the electronics and biotechnology would be
attitude of European consumers to these followed by the emergence of totally new
innovative concepts concepts of smart packaging.
■ discussion with EU and national authorities
about legislative aspects and drafting of Currently under development and trial is a
specific amendments. Modification of new technology – radio frequency
migration testing methods and development identification devices (RFID) are the ultimate
of procedures for systematic evaluation of the goal. Label manufacturer Norprint has been
fitness for food contact of active and developing this technology – intelligent
intelligent concepts. tagging – with Sensormatic for four years.
RFID is going to affect the future of everybody
Project sponsorship in the packaging chain. And the board swing
Pira receives only 50% funding from the EC ticket offers the perfect carrier. RFID is like a
andcompanies can be involved in the project floppy disk on a computer. It will receive a
through sponsorships. For further details stream of information for others to read. RFID
contact Peter Page on T +44 (0)1372 802123 hardware represents a reusable and intelligent
or E [email protected]. tag that provides the retailer with the key

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service of tracking goods all the way through Figure 1
the supply chain from the supplier to its final Factors promoting the
development of freshness
resting place on the supermarket shelf.
indicating intelligent
packaging
A shop assistant would be able to determine:

■ at which branch, for example, a returned

item of clothing was bought labels that not only protect the brand, but
■ when it was bought provide customer assurance as well.
■ how much it cost the purchaser.
When using wallpaper designs, there is no
A large retailer recently trialled an RFID tag need to register either print or the image on
for its food chain in parallel with the existing the hologram. Holograms with registered
barcode information. The store wants the images have to be placed in a precise spot on
safety net of being able to scan the barcode. the base pattern, giving even higher levels of
They are not using it for a security purpose. A brand protection. The use of the correct foils
French manufacturer called Gen-Plus supplies and papers, furnished on PP or PE liners in
the chip they will use. Another supplier of varying weights, is key for a quality end
RFID tags is Intermec, who also work closely product, so converters are reliant on hologram
with Sensormatic. and substrate suppliers to maintain the supply
chain. A few companies, such as Applied
This cutting-edge technology will certainly be Holographics, provide a one-stop shop.
in common use within the next five years. The
cost of one tag is too high at the moment to Suppliers need to assure customers that their
make it cost-effective where security is products are genuine, particularly in markets
concerned but, when its value is measured in where parallel trading prevails. This is
terms of tracking goods through the supply happening increasingly in overseas markets.
chain, especially in tandem with the internet, The situation is made more difficult in

‘
its cost becomes far more justifiable. And, developing markets where the hologram
Suppliers need
within the next five years, its cost is bound to provides unprecedented shelf appeal. This
to assure their
become far more viable. Cost comparisons applies to the drinks industry, particularly to
between old and new technology are not easy, sales of vodka in Eastern European markets customers that
if only for the simple reason that traditional such as Poland and Russia. Three months after their products
RF tags had just one life. RFID tags can be the launch of Absolwent vodka by its Polish are geniune,
used two or three times. producers, who had the foresight to put a particularly in
hologram on its label, sales rocketed from 0 markets where
Another security discipline is offered by to four million bottles a month. It became a parallel trading
holographics, a big user of paper substrates. market leader over night.

’
prevails.
In the drinks sector the demand for
holographic labels is high. Holography is a Counterfeiting has reached an all time high –
discipline that first came to light in the early £100 billion worldwide every year – and is
1940s. Wallpaper holograms were first used in particularly evident in developing markets
packaging in the ‘70s to give products shelf where the supply chain is less sophisticated.
appeal and to act as an initial step towards The problem is compounded by the Chinese
brand protection, the full potential of which and others who are able to copy holograms
was not realised until much later. with relative ease and confound even the
experts. The big question is how do you police
Since the 1970s, greater levels of technology the measures that are put in place, particularly
and complexity have been built in to two- when the consumer is not aware enough to
dimensional products such as imaging know the difference between the genuine
techniques or fine text that can only be hologram and the product and their mimics?
detected under a microscope. A kinegramatic
effect provides a three-dimensional effect and Most would argue that it wasn’t the
even greater security which is used for neck consumer's job to be that aware. Perhaps, it's

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the brand owner's job to make them aware. TAKE AWAY
This probably means that, with certain
products, the brand owner is going to have ■ Active paper packaging is used somewhat
to spend a lot more money on his labelling. in modified atmosphere packaging (MAP),
While counterfeiting exists on the scale that it while intelligent paper packaging is applied
does the brand owner can't ever be sure that in the logistics and security sectors.
customer has bought the genuine product! ■ Driven by the savings of packaging food
centrally, MAP is set for big growth.
One of the big issues of brand protection is ■ The future of MAP lies in developing high
diversion of product – the product is sent to technology materials in two areas – active
a certain market only to reappear in another and dynamic packaging.
– in some cases before the authentic product ■ Active paper packaging includes systems
has been launched in that market. Brand that absorb oxygen, ethylene and moisture
protection through holography doesn't come or remove tainting compounds or release
cheap. The cost of preparing the artwork for antimicrobial agents, antioxidants, flavours
the hologram is high. There are other security and/or colour.
disciplines available, including threads or ■ Oxygen scavenging sachets made of iron-
infrared and ultraviolet inks which are based powder are a popular food insert
cheaper and which will give the customer although developments have taken place to
an element of brand protection. It's all incorporate this through heat sealing into
related to cost and how much the brand the package label. They can be used alone
owner fears the threat of parallel trading. removes the need for MAP machinery and
can increase packaging speeds.
To determine the level of brand protection ■ Dual action oxygen scavenger/carbon
required by any hologram, it is essential to dioxide emitter sachets and labels have been
determine the prime issue of concern. It developed to stop pack collpase as the volume
could be any one of a number of issues – of the latter balances the oxygen absorbed.
customer assurance, covert authentication, ■ In contrast, the key to smart or intelligent
anti-replication, overt authentication, track package indicators is their ability to give
and trace, or even anti-refill which is information about the product quality directly,
particularly applicable to the drinks sector. the package and its headspace and the storage
Marketing would have an issue about conditions of the package.
communication. ■ In future, it can be expected that a smart
package can contain more complex invisible
Whatever the issue, the brand owner must messages that can be read from a distance.
question whether he or she would be able Security tags and radio frequency identity tags
to police any steps put in place or measure are the first examples of electronic labelling.
what's happening. For example, a forensic ■ Holography, a big user of paper substrates,
marker could be placed in the packaging to is another security discipline, but requires
authenticate it but, before a brand owner expensive artwork. Cheaper options include
agrees to that, he must know how he is threads or infrared and ultra-violet inks.
going to identify the marker and, where
sales overseas are concerned, what Rodney Abbot
mechanism is there to enable him to achieve
his objective. If the main issue is customer Rodney Abbott is editor of Packaging Today,
assurance, a multi-layered approach often which he joined in 1994. He has edited
proves to be the optimum solution. This monthly business-to-business publications in
offers security features in the paper, within the construction, lighting, distribution and
the label itself and the inks within the catering industries, and writes for many other
hologram. Managed programmes go a stage
publications, including the Times, Design
further by offering a solution that will take
Weekly and New Scientist. Abbott has also
the counterfeiters a set period of time to
worked on a number of news-stand titles,
crack before being faced with a fresh label
including SLR Camera and Practical Caravan.
with, say, a different type of covert ink. ■

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