Food packaging, additives oxygen scavengers

Food packaging additives in the United States include slips, antistats, antioxidants, colorants, antifogs, antimicrobials, and oxygen scavengers. 

Markarian [52] reviewed the latest additives used to improve gas barrier and other properties of food packaging, cosmetics and pharmaceutical products. These include oxygen and scavengers, flavour and odour controllers, antimicrobials, antifogs and UV absorbers. 

Aseptic packaging eliminates the need for preservatives but the shelf-life of the products still depends on the presence of oxygen either as gas in the pack at closing or dissolved in the product or due to permeation. Conventionally the foods or juices are de-aerated as much as possible. Shelf-life may be enhanced by addition of antioxidants but the use of an oxygen scavenging or antimicrobial film or adjunct will provide the greatest benefit, avoiding the use of additives. 

---