Edible Food Packaging with Natural Hydrocolloids and Active Agents

The aim of this book is to show the potential of natural hydrocolloids  and active agents to develop sustainable edible packaging materials for  food preservation. For this, the current and future sources of natural  hydrocolloids have been reviewed along with their extraction methods,  impact on health and ability to form different packaging such as film,  casing, coating, mat, pad, etc. Similarly, natural active compounds were  evaluated carefully considering their sources, extraction methods,  regulatory status, and compatibility with edible packaging. The book  emphasizes the recent developments in methods, strategies and  technologies employed to enhance the performance of antimicrobial,  antioxidant and bioactive packaging. The basic testing methods used to  evaluate antimicrobial and antioxidant activity of edible packaging in  model media and food were discussed, and carefully selected example  active edible packaging applications for different food categories were  provided with critical details such as the thin balance between  effectiveness of packaging and sensory properties of food. As such, it  helps in understanding necessary parameters in designing an effective  active edible packaging that is applicable to the target food category.  Moreover, readers are primed for the first time on how to develop a  fully natural antimicrobial, antioxidant or bioactive edible food  packaging. This book is different from most of the similar books' avail  as it provides neither methodologies about classical active packaging  based on chemicals and fossil polymeric films nor is it a thorough  collection of different food packaging applications. It is also not a  book that concentrates on physicochemical characterization methods and  engineering aspects of packaging. Instead, this is a book that provides  systematic knowledge about key methods of evaluating natural resources,  agro-industrial wastes and by-products for development of edible  packaging, and concentrates on concepts, strategies, technologies, and  applications of active edible packaging based solely on natural  components. It is designed to share both positive and negative  experiences in an emerging field that is expected to play a central role  in improving food safety and quality, human health and environmentally  friendly practices.