Application and safety assessment for nano-composite materials in food packaging

Abstract

The technical breakthroughs and rapid developments in nanotechnologies enabling goods and products based on nanomaterials (NMs) has come to media and public attention as potentially one of the most significant technological advances of our time. Among these technical applications, nano-composite food packaging, which combines the NMs and conventional packaging, is at the forefront of applications in nanotechnologies, leading the whole industrial chain based on nanotechnologies with high speed development. Taking into account the status of the nano-composites applied in food packaging and present development trends, this review is focused on summarizing the basic applications of the nano-composites in food packaging as well as its risk assessment. The status summaries and the conclusions derived from this review are of benefit to manufacturers which produce the nano-composites used in food packaging, to general consumers and to governmental administration entities. © 2011 The Author(s).