Intelligent Packaging | Course Paper

Semr.4101 Seminar (0+1)

INTELLIGENT PACKAGING

By

Minu Paul V

2016-02-024

Course teacher: Dr Asha Joseph

Professor

Dept. of IDE

SEMINAR REPORT

Submitted in partial fulfilment of the

requirements for the degree of

BACHELOR OF TECHNOLOGY IN AGRICULTURE

KERALA AGRICULTURAL UNIVERSITY

KELAPPAJI COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING

AND TECHNOLOGY

TAVANUR 679573, MALAPPURAM

KERALA, INDIA

2020

1

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

First of all I bow my head before “The God Almighty” for the blessings showered over me

to complete this endeavour. It is with great respect and devotion I place on record my deep

sense of gratitude and indebtedness towards my seminar.

I place a deep sense of obligation to Dr Asha Joseph, Professor of Department of IDE, Er

Athira Prasad, Teaching assistant in FMPE department, Er Sreekutty, Teaching assistant in

PFE department for the help and cooperation received from her during the entire seminar.

Finally, I must acknowledge the moral support I received from my friends in getting the

references and materials required for my seminar.

MINU PAUL V

2016–02-024

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INDEX

SL.NO.

Particulars

Page. No.

Abstract

3

1

Introduction

4

2

Intelligent packaging

5

3

Components of intelligent packaging systems

6

5

Radio frequency identification (RFID)

12

6

Sensors

14

7

Advantages and disadvantages of intelligent

packaging

17

8

Applications of Intelligent Packaging

18

9

Case study

19

11

General Conclusion

26

12

Reference

26

3

ABSTRACT

Intelligent packaging refers to a package that can sense environmental changes, and in turn

inform the changes to the users. Intelligent packaging has two categories: simple intelligent

packaging, and interactive or responsive intelligent packaging. In the later, the packaging

contains sensors that notify consumers that the product is impaired, and they may begin to

undo the harmful changes that have occurred in the food product. Such packaging systems

contain devices that are capable of sensing and providing information about the functions and

properties of the packaged foods, and/or contain an external or internal indicator for the

active product history and quality determination. These types of devices can be divided into

three groups. The first type is the external indicators that are attached outside the package,

and include time temperature indicators and physical shock indicators. The second type is the

internal indicators, which are placed inside the package. They are either placed in the

headspace of the package or attached to the lid—for example, oxygen leak indicators, carbon

dioxide, microbial, and pathogen indicators. The third type of devices is the indicators that

increase the efficiency of information flow and effective communication between the product

and the consumer. These products include special bar codes that store food product

information, such as use and consumption date.

A package of foods has 4 basic functions namely containment, protection, convenience

and communication. The communication function of the package can be extended by

providing dynamic information when sensors or indicators are included in/on the package and

then the package becomes an intelligent packaging. Intelligent packaging as a packaging

system that is capable of carrying out intelligent functions (such as detecting, sensing,

recording, tracing, communicating, and applying scientific logic) to facilitate decision

making to extend shelf life, enhance safety, improve quality, provide information, and warn

about possible problems. In this thesis we will consider intelligent packaging as packaging

systems that monitor the condition of packaged food during its life cycle to communicate

(i.e., indicate) information related to the quality or safety of the packaged product.

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1.INTRODUCTION

Nowadays, due to changes in life styles and with the increased demand for minimally

processed foods, studies for packaging of these products gained popularity. Fresh foods just

after harvest or slaughter are still active biological systems. The atmosphere inside a package

constantly changes as gases and moisture are produced during metabolic processes. The type

of packaging used will also influence the atmosphere around the food because some plastics

have poor barrier properties to gases and moisture. The metabolism of fresh food continues to

use up oxygen in the headspace of a package and increases the carbon dioxide concentration.

At the same time water is produced and the humidity in the headspace of the package builds

up. This encourages the growth of spoilage microorganisms and damages the fruit and

vegetable tissue. Many food plants produce ethylene as part of their normal metabolic cycle.

This simple organic compound triggers ripening and aging. Each fresh food has its own

optimal gas composition and humidity level for maximizing its shelf life.

A food supply chain is complex, time-critical, and dynamic. In this context, the food

industry is facing challenges due to increasing operational complexity, dynamic changes of

consumer needs, new regulations, short product life cycles, which include the post processing

post processing phase and extends over the time of use by final consumer.in this regard

innovative food packaging systems are being developed, highlighting the quality of the

product throughout its shelf life.

Intelligent packaging offers promise in this area; it is difficult with conventional

packaging to optimize the composition of the headspace in a package. The atmosphere

surrounding the food also influences the shelf life of processed foods. For some processed

foods, a lowering of oxygen is beneficial, slowing down discoloration of cured meats and

powdered milk and preventing rancidity in nuts and other high fat foods. High carbon dioxide

and low oxygen levels can pose a problem in fresh produce leading to anaerobic metabolism

and rapid rotting of the food. Although traditional packaging covers the basic needs of food

containment, advances in food packaging are both anticipated and expected. Society is

becoming increasingly complex and innovative packaging is the result of consumers demand

for packaging that is more advanced and creative than what is currently offered. Active

packaging and intelligent packaging are the result of innovative thinking in packaging.

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Intelligent packaging system, one of the new techniques which is being studied in

recent years; provides health and safety of the product for the consumer and also monitor the

condition of packaged foods to give information about shelf life and regarding the quality of

the food during transport and storage.

2.INTELLIGENT PACKAGING

Every product, even organically grown foods, needs some sort of packaging during

its existence for protection during transportation, handling, storage and use. The package is

used to protect the product against deteriorative effects of the external environment,

communicate with the consumer as a marketing tool, provide the consumer with greater ease

of use and time-saving convenience, and contain products of various sizes and shapes.

According to the American Heritage Dictionary, the word ―intelligent‖ is defined as

―showing sound judgment and rationality‖ and as ―having certain data storage and processing

capabilities‖. We define intelligent packaging as a packaging system that is capable of

carrying out intelligent functions to facilitate decision making to extend shelf life, enhance

safety, improve quality, provide information, and warn about possible problems. We believe

that the uniqueness of IP is in its ability to communicate: because the package and the food

move constantly together throughout the supply chain cycle, the package is the food‘s best

companion and is in the best position to communicate the conditions of the food. . It is

important to emphasize that IP is a system that involves not only the package, but also the

food product, the external environment, and other considerations

The intelligent systems are aiming to monitor the quality of the food product or its

surrounding environment to predict or measure the safe shelf–life better than a best before–

date. Intelligent packaging or smart packaging can be also defined as a packaging system that

is capable of carrying out intelligent functions (such as detecting, sensing, recording, tracing,

communicating, and applying scientific logic) to facilitate decision making to extend shelf

life, enhance safety, improve quality, provide information, and warn about possible problems.

Intelligent packaging systems attached as labels, incorporated into, or printed onto a food

packaging material offer enhanced possibilities to monitor product quality, trace the critical

points, and give more detailed information throughout the supply chain.

2.1 Principles of intelligent packaging

In packaging, ―smartness‖ can have many meanings, and covers a number of

functionalities, depending on the product being packaged – food, beverage, pharmaceutical,

household products etc. Examples of current and future functions that are considered to have

―smartness‖ would be packages that:

1. Retain the integrity and actively prevent food spoilage (extend shelf life).

2. Enhance product attributes (look, taste, flavor, aroma, etc.).

3. Respond actively to changes in the product or in the packaged environment.

4. Communicate product information, product history or other conditions to the user.

5. Assist with opening and indicating seal integrity.

2.2. Components of intelligent packaging system

Intelligent packaging systems exist to monitor certain aspects of a food product and

report information to the consumer. The purpose of the intelligent system could be to

improve the quality or value of a product, to provide more convenience, or to provide tamper