Active packaging technologies for clean label food products: a review

Consumers in developed countries are highly interested in facts about the production techniques and ingredients of the food they consume. Some production techniques are apparent as less natural, whereas some food ingredients/additives are perceived as unhealthy. Such terms, referred to as the clean label trend, have driven the food processing industries to connect whether some ingredients/additives are not existing or if the food has been produced using a natural production method. With customers motivating the modernization, the food processing industries have moved toward no or fewer ingredients using active packaging solutions. The food manufacturer is responding by integrating active packaging. Here we review active packaging techniques which support clean label trends with focus on driving the clean labels market. We present active packaging technologies antimicrobial packaging; antioxidant releaser; ethylene absorber; oxygen scavenger, carbon dioxide emitters. We discuss the various challenges in implementing clean label foods technology and its future in the modern society

Automated summary

Consumers in developed countries are increasingly interested in the production techniques and ingredients of the food they consume, driving the food processing industries towards more natural and fewer additive options. Active packaging solutions have become a key strategy to address this trend, with food manufacturers actively integrating them into their production processes.