Hydrogel as an alternative structure for food packaging systems

Rejane Andrade Batista; Paula Judith Perez Espitia; Jullyana de Souza Siqueira Quintans; Mayanna Machado Freitas; Miguel Ângelo Cerqueira; José António Teixeira; Juliana Cordeiro Cardoso

doi:10.1016/j.carbpol.2018.10.006

Hydrogel as an alternative structure for food packaging systems

Carbohydr Polym. 2019 Feb 1:205:106-116. doi: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2018.10.006. Epub 2018 Oct 6.

Authors

Rejane Andrade Batista¹, Paula Judith Perez Espitia², Jullyana de Souza Siqueira Quintans³, Mayanna Machado Freitas¹, Miguel Ângelo Cerqueira⁴, José António Teixeira⁵, Juliana Cordeiro Cardoso⁶

Affiliations

¹ Tiradentes University, Northeast Biotechnology Network (PGP - RENORBIO) - Av. Murilo Dantas, 300, Farolândia, Aracaju, SE, 49032-490, Brazil.
² Nutrition and Dietetics School, Universidad del Atlántico. Puerto Colombia, Atlántico, Colombia. Electronic address: perez.espitia@gmail.com.
³ Laboratory of Preclinical Pharmacology, Federal University of Sergipe, 49.000-100 São Cristóvão, SE, Brazil. Electronic address: jullyanaquintans@gmail.com.
⁴ International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory, Av. Mestre José Veiga s/n, 4715-330 Braga, Portugal. Electronic address: miguel.cerqueira@inl.int.
⁵ Center of Biological Engineering, Universidade do Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal. Electronic address: jateixeira@deb.uminho.pt.
⁶ Tiradentes University, Northeast Biotechnology Network (PGP - RENORBIO) - Av. Murilo Dantas, 300, Farolândia, Aracaju, SE, 49032-490, Brazil; Institute of Technology and Research - Av. Murilo Dantas, 300, Farolândia, Aracaju, SE, 49032-490, Brazil. Electronic address: juliana_cardoso@unit.br.

PMID: 30446085
DOI: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2018.10.006

Abstract

Hydrogels are three-dimensional, hydrophilic networks, comprising polymeric chains linked through physical or chemical bonds. In the area of food, hydrogels have great potential to be used in food packaging systems or as carriers of bioactive components. This paper reviews the nature of hydrogels, their 3D network conformation, their functional properties, and their potential applications in food packaging systems. Regarding their potential food packaging applications, hydrogels can present a conformation which allows their use as part of a packaging system to control the humidity generated by food products with high water content. Moreover, the incorporation of nanoparticles into hydrogels may grant them antimicrobial activity. Finally, although the current research in this field is still limited, the results obtained so far are promising for innovative and potential applications in the food field, which also include their integration into intelligent food packaging systems and their direct incorporation into food matrices as a flavor carrier system.

Keywords: Active food packaging; Biopolymer; Hydrogel; Swelling; Water absorption.

Publication types

Review