Food packaging polymers

Jabarin, S.A., Kollen, W.J., Polyolefin Properties for Rigid Food Packaging. Polymer Engineering and Science, 1988,28(18) 1156-1161. 

Fig. 7.1 General pioptaties required for food packaging polymers...

PE represents one of the simplest food packaging polymers. PE with different densities, water vapor transmission rates, gas transmission rates, and mechanical properties, e.g., tensile strengths, is commercially available. This variety provides food manufacturers with ability to choose the optimmn packaging material for their needs [45]. The surface of PE is necessary due to its low polarity and low surface energy to modify by low-temperature discharge plasma in air [3-6]. PE surfaces modified by CO2, H2O, and CO2/H2O plasma have been also characterized [46]. 

Gajdos J, Galic K, Kurtanjek Z and Cikovic N (2001) Gas permeabifity and DSC characteristics of polymers used in food packaging, Polym Test 20 49-57. 

Food packaging polymers should fulfill several requirements for practical usage and safe preservation of food. First, they should have good mechanical properties but... 

Keywords Engineered nanomaterials Food packaging Polymer nanocomposites Migration Nanotoxicity Nanoparticle toxicity Safety of nanotechnology... 

On the other hand, PLA (Fig. 22.5b) is a growing alternative as a "green" food packaging polymer conferring new combination of attributes to packaging such as stiffness, clarity, dead fold and twist retention, low-temperature heat sealability, and an interesting combination of barrier properties, including flavor and aroma barrier characteristics. 

Ozdemir M., C.U. Yurteri, and H. Sadikoglu. 1999. Physical polymer surface modification methods and applications in food packaging polymers. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition 39 457-77. 

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