Entering the new century, China's first major innovation in the food industry initiative: since 1 January 2000, introduced a "biodegradable" food packaging materials, and gradually ban the use of non-biodegradable materials to control the disturbing "White pollution "for the next" edible packaging "lay the foundation for the development of edible packaging is the world's food industry the main trends of new technology, it has been involved in a wide range of applications, such as sausage, fruit wax, sugar, rice paper, ice clothes and tablet coating and so on.
As edible packaging versatile, environmentally sound, easily obtained, for human consumption, so the food industry in developed countries in recent years competing research and development, new products, new technologies are emerging, foreign edible packaging showing the following dynamic.
Dynamic one: The latest research
At least eight American university system set up edible food packaging research. University of Minnesota's Department of Food Science and Nutrition has a development team, specializing in different compositions containing edible food preservation film. Clemens University of Agriculture and Biological Engineering is carried out extensive protein edible film membrane materials research. University of Wisconsin research team led by Fei Nima, the use of polysaccharides and fatty developed a moisture barrier layer of polyethylene film as much as edible films, and use it for a kind of "simulated food" and achieved excellent results.
France to Ge Bote led research team also carried out extensive research of edible films. Japan and Germany are also carried out extensive research in this field. It is particularly worth mentioning is that the U.S. and Japan in this field has accumulated a large number of patented technologies.
Dynamic two: Multifunctional edible films
Edible packaging ascendant one of the areas is the development of multi-edible packaging film, mainly using natural water-soluble polymer membrane, or a combination of hydrophobic substances and emulsifiers as the membrane solution with addition of various preservatives, even with addition enzymes and other biological activity, dipping the surface of an agricultural product or foodstuff, and dried to form a thin film layer is almost invisible, the layer film has a moisture barrier, air resistance, pest control, anti-corrosion, anti-oxidation, anti-browning, disease of different nature and edible.
For example, thin-skinned fruit, vegetables and cauliflower large leaves cling film often sent along with the entry of fruits and vegetables, and asked not to be found. Cakes, candy, and some livestock products within the packaging inner packaging are also able entrance, tasty transparent and have adequate moisture barrier, oxygen and corrosion and other functions for the more practical and upscale.
Dynamic three: biodegradable artificial casings artificial casings research is the development of one of the areas
On the one hand synthetic artificial casings, such as nylon casings, casings, etc. PVC Asian ethylene has been widely practical application. Their strength, resistant to cooking, elastic prior to use without the use of flooding; the other hand, synthetic materials artificial casings are not edible, and thus an artificial edible casings provide a good opportunity for development.
Have invented artificial casings edible collagen sausage casings there. It is divided into two types, are called Naturin and Devro, they are made with cowhide protein denaturation of collagen fibers pulp group, and then pressurized extruded. However, "Na-turin" denaturation temperature and the stability of non-natural casings, while "Devro" excessive shrinkage and therefore have improved.
Use of calcium alginate film manufacturing artificial casings have been many attempts, but failed to produce a casing for use on the market, mainly because of its lack of contraction, coupled with weak when it is too wet, too dry and brittle Shiyou crack. Therefore, it needs to overcome the weaknesses found a composite material processing improvements. Although inedible cellulose casings casings, but that is made from natural plant materials, biodegradable artificial casings. It has a particularly tough, high strength and resistance to humidity changes stretching, etc., have been used in frankfurters.
Dynamic Four: microencapsulated food flavors or fragrances microencapsulation technology, and promote the edible packaging materials research and application process
Edible film-forming material using microencapsulation, the liquid can be converted to a solid fragrance, the volatile fragrance can be transformed into non-volatile perfume loss, poor dispersion of the perfume fragrance transformed into easily dispersed, into the fat-soluble flavors Water-soluble flavors. Microencapsulated fragrance can also improve its stability, free from moisture, oxidation, ultraviolet radiation and microbiological effects.
Indeed, edible packaging technology and microencapsulation techniques are independent of each other two technologies, but the two techniques are often used in the same source material. Thus the nature of the material in the study and utilization, these two techniques can promote each other, side by side development.
Today, the use of high temperature state of mucus edible material to absorb by heating rapidly from fruits and flowers perfume ingredients, directly forming a tiny fragrant airbags. Then cooled to room temperature, the mucus to solid, and then pulverized to become rich and long-term preservation of the aroma of food additives. For example: A trial will Flowers and mixing molten sugar, flower fragrance ingredients into a large number of sugar immediately, forming tiny fragrant airbags, cooling will dissipate after a few months and lose flavor. This use of hot sugar extraction and fixed aroma technology has been in popular abroad.
In addition to fragrance, the food to be retained in the other volatile components can also rely on protection of microencapsulation technology, such as pigments, vitamins.
Dynamic Five: multipurpose edible packaging edible packaging film as a carrier prospects
Such as available rich in vitamin B1 edible films soaking them polished rice fortification. Noted earlier additives added to various functions, such as sorbic acid edible films available to rich meat and cheese, etc. for surface corrosion. Use local content such preservatives, preservative content is generally low, which significantly improves efficiency and reduces preservative amount of additives, thereby reducing their negative effect on consumers.
There are many exotic edible packaging purposes. Such as potato chips, Queensland, Australia, a container company made potato chips container, its flavor is not inferior costumes, potato chips, which people enjoy munching container quickly. Use of edible coatings containing pigments, food coloring for easy surface staining, can reduce the total amount of pigment, but also to expand the scope and improve its pigment dyeing dyeing effect and stability. American invention and has been in business on the application of ice soda bottles, people buy a bottle of ice in summer at the seaside bottled soda, drink up very pleasant cool, drank a bottle of course, after not pollute the beautiful surroundings.
Edible packaging materials because the inherent properties of the synthetic polymer material compared with all the limitations, can not replace the synthetic polymers currently far from the position of the food packaging material. Meanwhile, edible packaging and natural biodegradable plastics for further research and development is inseparable from the development of high technology.