Smart Technologies in Food Packaging and Sensors

Topic Information

Dear Colleagues,

It is estimated that two-thirds of food waste, a major problem in modern society, can be prevented through intelligent packaging and food sensors capable of evaluating food quality. Intelligent packaging (IP) can be defined as ‘packaging that contains an external or internal indicator providing information as regards the history of the package and/or the quality of the food’. Intelligent packages are integrated with a target-specific sensor, which can store information on attributes such as freshness, gas leakage, microbial contamination, etc., and convey this information to the consumer. Sensors can be placed either outside the package, measuring external environmental conditions, or within the package, measuring the quality of the packaged foodstuff. Such sensors should be easily activated and provide information about changes that have occurred. Therefore, IP can provide precise information about the ‘actual’ shelf life and directly indicate the current quality state of the food to ensure product quality and safety. IP primarily includes freshness indicators, time temperature indicators, leakage indicators and sensors. The aim of this Topic is to provide readers with a concise overview on recent developments and novel approaches in implementing indicators and sensors in food packaging. The proposed Topic will be dedicated to high-quality research articles, as well as original review papers, that highlight recent advancements in intelligent materials and systems designed for food packaging biosensing.

Prof. Dr. Michael Kontominas
Prof. Dr. Anastasia Badeka
Topic Editors

Keywords

Participating Journals

Journal Name	Impact Factor	CiteScore	Launched Year	First Decision (median)	APC
Biosensors biosensors	4.9	6.6	2011	18.9 Days	CHF 2200
Foods foods	4.7	7.4	2012	14.5 Days	CHF 2900
Sensors sensors	3.4	7.3	2001	18.6 Days	CHF 2600
Smart Cities smartcities	7.0	11.2	2018	28.4 Days	CHF 2000
Technologies technologies	4.2	6.7	2013	21.1 Days	CHF 1600

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Published Papers (7 papers)

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All Biosensors Foods Sensors Smart Cities Technologies

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23 pages, 4619 KiB  

Open AccessReview

Review on Sensor Array-Based Analytical Technologies for Quality Control of Food and Beverages

by Abhishek Kumar, Mickael Castro and Jean-François Feller

Sensors 2023, 23(8), 4017; https://doi.org/10.3390/s23084017 - 15 Apr 2023

Cited by 18 | Viewed by 4667

Abstract

Food quality control is an important area to address, as it directly impacts the health of the whole population. To evaluate the food authenticity and quality, the organoleptic feature of the food aroma is very important, such that the composition of volatile organic [...] Read more.

Food quality control is an important area to address, as it directly impacts the health of the whole population. To evaluate the food authenticity and quality, the organoleptic feature of the food aroma is very important, such that the composition of volatile organic compounds (VOC) is unique in each aroma, providing a basis to predict the food quality. Different types of analytical approaches have been used to assess the VOC biomarkers and other parameters in the food. The conventional approaches are based on targeted analyses using chromatography and spectroscopies coupled with chemometrics, which are highly sensitive, selective, and accurate to predict food authenticity, ageing, and geographical origin. However, these methods require passive sampling, are expensive, time-consuming, and lack real-time measurements. Alternately, gas sensor-based devices, such as the electronic nose (e-nose), bring a potential solution for the existing limitations of conventional methods, offering a real-time and cheaper point-of-care analysis of food quality assessment. Currently, research advancement in this field involves mainly metal oxide semiconductor-based chemiresistive gas sensors, which are highly sensitive, partially selective, have a short response time, and utilize diverse pattern recognition methods for the classification and identification of biomarkers. Further research interests are emerging in the use of organic nanomaterials in e-noses, which are cheaper and operable at room temperature. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Smart Technologies in Food Packaging and Sensors)

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15 pages, 2397 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

A Simple Combination of Active and Intelligent Packaging Based on Garlic Extract and Indicator Solution in Extending and Monitoring the Meat Quality Stored at Cold Temperature

by Andi Dirpan, Muspirah Djalal and Andi Fadiah Ainani

Foods 2022, 11(10), 1495; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11101495 - 20 May 2022

Cited by 21 | Viewed by 4119

Abstract

Safety and quality, as the major concerns of meat, are highly dependent on the ingredients and packaging techniques used. A basic combination of active and intelligent packaging is believed to be capable of preserving product quality, extending shelf life, and monitoring product deterioration. [...] Read more.

Safety and quality, as the major concerns of meat, are highly dependent on the ingredients and packaging techniques used. A basic combination of active and intelligent packaging is believed to be capable of preserving product quality, extending shelf life, and monitoring product deterioration. Therefore, this study aimed to extend and monitor the beef quality at cold temperatures (4 ± 1 °C). The active packaging applied garlic extract (0%, 15%, and 20% (w/w)) to release anti-microbial agents. Meanwhile, the intelligent paper applied a combination of bromothymol blue (BTB) and phenol red (PR) solutions at pH 5.00. The results showed that beef packed without the addition of garlic extract had already deteriorated on the 6th day of storage while, with the addition of garlic extract (15% and 20%) rotted on the 12th day. The intelligent indication label’s color profile changed from dark yellow (fresh), to reddish-yellow (to be consumed immediately), to faded red (rotten). The color change of the intelligent indicator label in response to all meat deterioration criteria demonstrates a linear correlation for determining the extent of rottenness during storage. Therefore, this simple combination of active paper and intelligent indicator can be used to extend the shelf life and monitor meat quality. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Smart Technologies in Food Packaging and Sensors)

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15 pages, 3757 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

Sensitive Biosensor Based on Shape-Controlled ZnO Nanostructures Grown on Flexible Porous Substrate for Pesticide Detection

by Ahmad Fallatah, Nicolas Kuperus, Mohammed Almomtan and Sonal Padalkar

Sensors 2022, 22(9), 3522; https://doi.org/10.3390/s22093522 - 5 May 2022

Cited by 22 | Viewed by 2938

Abstract

Developing an inexpensive, sensitive, and point-of-use biosensor for pesticide detection is becoming an important area in sensing. Such sensors can be used in food packaging, agricultural fields, and environmental monitoring of pesticides. The present investigation has developed a zinc oxide (ZnO)-based biosensor on [...] Read more.

Developing an inexpensive, sensitive, and point-of-use biosensor for pesticide detection is becoming an important area in sensing. Such sensors can be used in food packaging, agricultural fields, and environmental monitoring of pesticides. The present investigation has developed a zinc oxide (ZnO)-based biosensor on porous, flexible substrates such as carbon paper and carbon cloth to detect organophosphates such as paraoxon (OP). Here, the influence of morphology and underlying substrate on biosensor performance was studied. The biosensors were fabricated by immobilizing the acetylcholinesterase (AChE) enzyme on ZnO, which is directly grown on the flexible substrates. The ZnO biosensors fabricated on the carbon cloth demonstrated good performance with the detection limit of OP in the range of 0.5 nM–5 µM, higher sensitivity, and greater stability. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Smart Technologies in Food Packaging and Sensors)

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14 pages, 6628 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

Near-Infrared Spectral Characteristic Extraction and Qualitative Analysis Method for Complex Multi-Component Mixtures Based on TRPCA-SVM

by Guiyu Zhang, Xianguo Tuo, Shuang Zhai, Xuemei Zhu, Lin Luo and Xianglin Zeng

Sensors 2022, 22(4), 1654; https://doi.org/10.3390/s22041654 - 20 Feb 2022

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3531

Abstract

Quality identification of multi-component mixtures is essential for production process control. Artificial sensory evaluation is a conventional quality evaluation method of multi-component mixture, which is easily affected by human subjective factors, and its results are inaccurate and unstable. This study developed a near-infrared [...] Read more.

Quality identification of multi-component mixtures is essential for production process control. Artificial sensory evaluation is a conventional quality evaluation method of multi-component mixture, which is easily affected by human subjective factors, and its results are inaccurate and unstable. This study developed a near-infrared (NIR) spectral characteristic extraction method based on a three-dimensional analysis space and establishes a high-accuracy qualitative identification model. First, the Norris derivative filtering algorithm was used in the pre-processing of the NIR spectrum to obtain a smooth main absorption peak. Then, the third-order tensor robust principal component analysis (TRPCA) algorithm was used for characteristic extraction, which effectively reduced the dimensionality of the raw NIR spectral data. Finally, on this basis, a qualitative identification model based on support vector machines (SVM) was constructed, and the classification accuracy reached 98.94%. Therefore, it is possible to develop a non-destructive, rapid qualitative detection system based on NIR spectroscopy to mine the subtle differences between classes and to use low-dimensional characteristic wavebands to detect the quality of complex multi-component mixtures. This method can be a key component of automatic quality control in the production of multi-component products. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Smart Technologies in Food Packaging and Sensors)

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11 pages, 1251 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

Novel Biocomposite Films Based on High Methoxyl Pectin Reinforced with Zeolite Y for Food Packaging Applications

by Aleksandra Nesic, Sladjana Meseldzija, Gustavo Cabrera-Barjas and Antonije Onjia

Foods 2022, 11(3), 360; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11030360 - 26 Jan 2022

Cited by 43 | Viewed by 5044

Abstract

Pectin is a natural biopolymer with broad applications in the food industry and it is suitable to prepare edible films to prolong food shelf-life. However, the main limitation of pectin-based films is their poor mechanical and barrier properties. Zeolite Y is a hydrophobic [...] Read more.

Pectin is a natural biopolymer with broad applications in the food industry and it is suitable to prepare edible films to prolong food shelf-life. However, the main limitation of pectin-based films is their poor mechanical and barrier properties. Zeolite Y is a hydrophobic clay that can be used as film reinforcement material to improve its physicochemical and mechanical properties. In this work, the influence of high methoxyl citrus and apple pectin on physicochemical properties of biopolymer films modified with zeolite Y (0.05–0.2 wt%) was investigated. The films were characterized by FTIR, TGA, WAXD, mechanical analysis, and water vapor permeability analysis, and a potential film application is presented. The WAXD and FTIR analysis demonstrated that the strongest interaction between pectin chains and zeolite Y occurred when citrus high methylated pectin was used. Adding 0.2 wt% of zeolite Y into citrus high methylated pectin matrix enhanced the tensile strength by 66%, thermal stability by 13%, and water vapor barrier by 54%. In addition, fruit shelf-life test was performed, where strawberries were sealed in film. It was shown that sealed strawberries maintained a better color and healthy appearance than the control treatment after 7 days at 10 °C. This study enabled the development of biocomposite films with improved properties for potential application in food packaging. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Smart Technologies in Food Packaging and Sensors)

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29 pages, 9391 KiB  

Open AccessReview

Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles in Chemical Detection: From Small Species to Large Bio-Molecules

by Margarita Parra, Salvador Gil, Pablo Gaviña and Ana M. Costero

Sensors 2022, 22(1), 261; https://doi.org/10.3390/s22010261 - 30 Dec 2021

Cited by 28 | Viewed by 5665

Abstract

A recompilation of applications of mesoporous silica nanoparticles in sensing from the last five years is presented. Its high potential, especially as hybrid materials combined with organic or bio-molecules, is shown. Adding to the multiplying effect of loading high amounts of the transducer [...] Read more.

A recompilation of applications of mesoporous silica nanoparticles in sensing from the last five years is presented. Its high potential, especially as hybrid materials combined with organic or bio-molecules, is shown. Adding to the multiplying effect of loading high amounts of the transducer into the pores, the selectivity attained by the interaction of the analyte with the layer decorating the material is described. Examples of the different methodologies are presented. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Smart Technologies in Food Packaging and Sensors)

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18 pages, 4656 KiB  

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

An Open-Source, Low-Cost Measurement System for Collecting Hydrometeorological Data in the Open Field

by Kenichi Tatsumi, Tomoya Yamazaki and Hirohiko Ishikawa

Technologies 2021, 9(4), 78; https://doi.org/10.3390/technologies9040078 - 22 Oct 2021

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3336

Abstract

To realize precision agriculture at multiple locations in the field, a low-cost measurement system should be developed for easy collection of hydrometeorological data, such as temperature, moisture, and light. In this study, a compact and low-cost hydrometeorological measurement system with a simplified wire [...] Read more.

To realize precision agriculture at multiple locations in the field, a low-cost measurement system should be developed for easy collection of hydrometeorological data, such as temperature, moisture, and light. In this study, a compact and low-cost hydrometeorological measurement system with a simplified wire code, which is customizable according to the purpose of observation, was built using a circuit board that connects Arduino to the sensors, which was then implemented and analyzed. The developed system measures air and soil temperatures, soil water content, and photosynthetic photon flux density using a sensor connected to Arduino Uno and saves the continuous, high-temporal-resolution output to an SD card. The results obtained from continuous measurement showed that the data collected using this system was significantly better than those collected using commercially available equipment. Anyone can easily measure the weather environments by using this fully open, highly versatile, portable, and user-friendly system. This system can contribute to the growth and expansion of precision agriculture, field management, development of crop models, and laborsaving. It can also provide a global solution to ongoing agricultural issues and improve the efficiency of farming operations, particularly in developing and low-income countries. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Smart Technologies in Food Packaging and Sensors)

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