ABSTRACT
Statistical data from the Food and Agriculture Organization, United Nations show that more than 30% of produced food is wasted every year due to expiring of shelf life and degradation due to microbial activity. We lose 20–50% of fish, vegetables, fruits, dairy, and meat products yearly. The presence of fungi, bacteria, and some enzymes are the main problems deteriorating the quality of food. Nowadays, demand for quality food with eco-friendly and active packaging systems increases which can preserve the quality of food and sensory characteristics of food. Smart packaging materials with sensing capability can indicate changes in food characteristics such as changes in the quality of food, maturity, and safety. In this chapter, we discuss recent advancements in inactive and smart biodegradable biopolymer-based food packaging materials. The role of organic and inorganic synthetic agents such as metal nanoparticles and natural agents such as essential oils and natural oxidants to activate the antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, and antioxidant activities in biopolymers are also discussed. This chapter compiles the existing studies in these unexplored areas to monitor the safety and freshness of food and highlights applications, challenges associated with the application, and future directions to improve the antiviral activity and safety of the food.
