Chapter 34 - Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles for Food Packaging Applications
Abstract
Zinc oxide (ZnO) is an inorganic compound widely used in many applications such as in pharmaceutical, cosmetic, food, rubber, commodity chemical, painting, ceramic, and glass industries. ZnO is currently listed as generally recognized as safe by the US Food and Drug Administration and used as a food additive, given that zinc is an essential trace element. The advent of nanotechnology led to the development of materials with novel properties for use as antimicrobial agents. ZnO nanoparticles have presented antimicrobial properties and potential applications in food preservation. ZnO nanoparticles have been incorporated in polymeric matrices in order to provide antimicrobial activity to the packaging material and improve some packaging properties. This chapter presents the main ZnO nanoparticle synthesis methods, its principal characteristics and antimicrobial action mechanisms, as well as the effect of its incorporation in polymeric matrices. Safety aspects and future trends are also presented and discussed.
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The distribution, fate, and environmental impacts of food additive nanomaterials in soil and aquatic ecosystems
2024, Science of the Total EnvironmentNanomaterials in the food industry are used as food additives, and the main function of these food additives is to improve food qualities including texture, flavor, color, consistency, preservation, and nutrient bioavailability. This review aims to provide an overview of the distribution, fate, and environmental and health impacts of food additive nanomaterials in soil and aquatic ecosystems. Some of the major nanomaterials in food additives include titanium dioxide, silver, gold, silicon dioxide, iron oxide, and zinc oxide. Ingestion of food products containing food additive nanomaterials via dietary intake is considered to be one of the major pathways of human exposure to nanomaterials. Food additive nanomaterials reach the terrestrial and aquatic environments directly through the disposal of food wastes in landfills and the application of food waste-derived soil amendments. A significant amount of ingested food additive nanomaterials (> 90 %) is excreted, and these nanomaterials are not efficiently removed in the wastewater system, thereby reaching the environment indirectly through the disposal of recycled water and sewage sludge in agricultural land. Food additive nanomaterials undergo various transformation and reaction processes, such as adsorption, aggregation-sedimentation, desorption, degradation, dissolution, and bio-mediated reactions in the environment. These processes significantly impact the transport and bioavailability of nanomaterials as well as their behaviour and fate in the environment. These nanomaterials are toxic to soil and aquatic organisms, and reach the food chain through plant uptake and animal transfer. The environmental and health risks of food additive nanomaterials can be overcome by eliminating their emission through recycled water and sewage sludge.
Voltammetric sensor for amaranth at zinc oxide nanoparticle modified carbon paste electrode
2024, Inorganic Chemistry CommunicationsIn this investigation, the co-precipitation technique was employed to fabricate the ZnO nanoparticles (ZnO/NPs) the samples were distinguished by means of employing XRD (X-ray diffraction), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and EDS (energy dispersive spectroscopy) techniques. An antimicrobial activity was performed on the synthesized ZnO/NPs against evaluated pathogenic bacterial strains, which shows good significant zone of inhibition. The detailed electrochemical investigations of amaranth were studied, with carbon paste electrode modified at ZnO/NPs using the cyclic voltammetric technique. The modified carbon paste electrode demonstrated a commendable electrocatalytic performance for reducing amaranth. The limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) were determined to be 3 µM and 10.2 µM, correspondingly. The examination of the interference study yielded consequential outcomes, the modified electrode displays accomplished stability, reusability and reproducibility. Real sample analysis was performed with the recovery rate of about 85 % − 95 % using various food samples. The same method can also be used for other food additives especially which leads to the carcinogenic.
Development of a cap liner composite film incorporating zinc oxide, celite, and zeolite for kimchi-storing bottles to absorb volatile sulfur compounds
2024, Food Packaging and Shelf LifeBottle cap liner films (“ZnO[celite]–zeolite film”) that absorb volatile sulfur compounds from kimchi were developed for kimchi-packaging plastic bottles using zinc oxide (ZnO) in celite (ZnO[celite]), zeolite, and low-density polyethylene (LDPE). The ZnO[celite] concentration-dependent deodorizing effect of the films and their physicochemical properties were evaluated. When the ZnO[celite] and zeolite mixture concentration in the film was 18% (w/w), the concentration of allyl methyl disulfide absorbed in the film increased by 98% compared with when this mixture was not used. Addition of ZnO[celite] and zeolite into the LDPE films altered their surface and cross-sectional morphologies and yellowness, but did not change their thermal stability, thermal properties, oxygen barrier, or tensile properties. These results suggest that the bottle cap liner prepared using the ZnO[celite]–zeolite film can effectively absorb volatile sulfur compounds and may be used as a liner for kimchi-containing bottles, replacing the conventional LDPE liner.
Polymers and fillers used in the packaging industry
2024, Nanostructured Materials for Food Packaging ApplicationsThe materials used to package food should have some basic characteristics. These materials are effective in preserving food quality as well as food safety. Furthermore, they can protect against harmful elements such as chemical pollutants, spoilage bacteria, moisture, air, light, and external force. Because of their low cost, fast processibility, good quality, and great physiochemical qualities, petroleum-based plastic materials have commonly been employed since the mid-twentieth century in the food packaging sector. Biopolymers, on the other hand, are regarded as the perfect source of biodegradable packaging materials owing to environmental concerns. The introduction of conventional plastics such as polyolefin, polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polystyrene, and polyvinyl chloride to the packaging sector is discussed in this chapter. The following sections describe the various kinds of biopolymers, depending on their origin. Compared with neat polymer, polymer nanocomposites have better characteristics in various cases. From the perspective of packaging applications, the different organic and inorganic nanofillers and their properties are examined in detail. This chapter includes a discussion of the role of nanofillers in the polymer matrix in terms of barrier characteristics, as well as a brief description of polymer nanocomposites and their use in the food packaging industry.
Fabrication and testing of edible films incorporated with ZnO nanoparticles to enhance the shelf life of bread
2023, Food BioscienceOn daily basis, large amount of food is spoiled due to various biological, physical, and chemical conditions which cause food-borne diseases. So, it is a great challenge to preserve food to meet the nutritional demands. This research was conducted to increase the shelf life of food items by using edible films embedded with nanoparticles. ZnO nanoparticles were synthesized and characterized by a Particle size analyzer and FTIR. The gelatin and agar films with ZnO NPs were prepared by the solution casting method and characterized by FTIR and SEM. The size of synthesized nanoparticles was around 62–70 nm. FTIR analysis was used to detect the functional groups and the spectra showed peaks at 626 cm−1 and 596 cm−1 which were characteristic peaks of ZnO nanoparticles. The antibacterial activity was high against bacteria. The bread was chose as a food sample to access the effectiveness of bio nanocomposite films for food packaging. Different parameters, like: weight loss, pH determination, microbial analysis, and sensory analysis were checked after regular intervals. The weight loss of bread samples with nanocomposite films packaging was lower than other films at the end of storage. The microbial analysis showed that the packing of samples with nanocomposite films lowered the bacterial growth in them. In conclusion, the prepared nanocomposite films can be recommended as a packaging material for bread samples to increase its quality.
Polysaccharides and proteins based bionanocomposites as smart packaging materials: From fabrication to food packaging applications a review
2023, International Journal of Biological MacromoleculesFood industry is the biggest and rapidly growing industries all over the world. This sector consumes around 40 % of the total plastic produced worldwide as packaging material. The conventional packaging material is mainly petrochemical based. However, these petrochemical based materials impose serious concerns towards environment after its disposal as they are nondegradable. Thus, in search of an appropriate replacement for conventional plastics, biopolymers such as polysaccharides (starch, cellulose, chitosan, natural gums, etc.), proteins (gelatin, collagen, soy protein, etc.), and fatty acids find as an option but again limited by its inherent properties. Attention on the initiatives towards the development of more sustainable, useful, and biodegradable packaging materials, leading the way towards a new and revolutionary green era in the food sector. Eco-friendly packaging materials are now growing dramatically, at a pace of about 10–20 % annually. The recombination of biopolymers and nanomaterials through intercalation composite technology at the nanoscale demonstrated some mesmerizing characteristics pertaining to both biopolymer and nanomaterials such as rigidity, thermal stability, sensing and bioactive property inherent to nanomaterials as well as biopolymers properties such as flexibility, processability and biodegradability. The dramatic increase of scientific research in the last one decade in the area of bionanocomposites in food packaging had reflected its potential as a much-required and important alternative to conventional petroleum-based material. This review presents a comprehensive overview on the importance and recent advances in the field of bionanocomposite and its application in food packaging. Different methods for the fabrication of bionanocomposite are also discussed briefly. Finally, a clear perspective and future prospects of bionanocomposites in food packaging were presented.