ABSTRACT
The antimicrobial packaging technology is a form of active packaging whose main purpose is to increase the shelf life of packaged foods, avoiding spoilage by the action of microorganisms. Food packaging plays a key role in the conservation, distribution and marketing of food. Microbiological contamination and subsequent growth of microorganisms represent the main cause of food spoilage, decreasing food lifetime and compromising food security. Metal and metal oxide nanoparticles are the nanosystems most widely used to develop antimicrobial active packaging. The biopackaging field has adopted technologies to improve the performance and/or add functionalities to biopolymer-based materials; hence, their range of application can be widened, and they can thus become more competitive in the polymer market. The right selection of packaging material and technology ensures product quality and freshness during distribution and storage. Nanotechnology is a powerful, highly interdisciplinary tool for the development of innovative products.
