That’s a wrap

Plastic packaging is on nearly every food you can buy these days. It is difficult – almost impossible, in fact – to avoid it. Aside from the environmental impact, the plastic does little to improve the food. It only minimally keeps it from spoiling, and in some cases it leaches chemicals into the food. But what if the wrap around your food actually kept food from spoiling and gave you a visual clue about the food’s freshness? That’s the promise from a couple of new technologies in the works.

South Korean researchers have developed a stretchable, antimicrobial food wrapper containing silver and gold nanoparticles that can monitor freshness by detecting spoilage chemicals, along with other items you might not want in your food such as pesticides. In addition to telling you if the food is on the verge of spoiling, the film has antimicrobial properties, keeping bacterial growth to a minimum.

In addition to this intriguing tech, researchers in Singapore are working on a “plant-based, biodegradable film infused with natural antibacterial ingredients, such as thyme oil.” The wrap changes color as the food ages, responding to acidity levels in the food, alerting you to spoilage without requiring any sensors.

Both of these technologies are years away from being commonplace, so don’t expect to see them on your food any time soon. These developments have potential to reduce food waste, which is a huge problem all over the world. It’s heartening to see this type of research being conducted, because there are plenty of issues that revolve around food packaging and transportation that need to be resolved.