Nanobiomaterials for Food Packaging Sensor Applications
Charles Oluwaseun Adetunji, Frank Abimbola Ogundolie, Olugbemi T. Olaniyan, John Tsado Mathew, Abel Inobeme, Olotu Titilayo, Shakira Ghazanfar, Oluwatosin Ademola Ijabadeniyi, Modupe Doris Ajiboye, Oluope Olufemi Ajayi, Wadzani Palnam Dauda, Juliana Bunmi Adetunji
Abstract
In the food sector, ensuring the safety of packaged food products reaching the consumers or end-users have over the years been a major concern in the industry. Several outbreaks have been reported over the years caused by foodborne pathogens or the consumption of expired products. The use of nanobiomaterials for food packaging which can monitor the freshness, toxicants and microbial contamination rate has today given the food sector a major boost in addressing not only food toxicity but also increasing the shelf-life, quality and acceptability of packaged foods. Food industries in recent times have been heavily investing in the utilization of packaging materials that are biodegradable and biocompatible with sensors to replace the initial non-degradable packaging materials such as polyethene- and polyvinylchloride-containing plastics which already have been established as having toxic effects. Biological nanoparticle-based sensors are now being used to detect fish and/or meat deterioration after packaging, heavy metals in food, nutrient level, toxins, alcohol presence and microorganisms present in food. This technology is cheap, very sensitive and provides a user-friendly on-site or online assessment of the safety of the respective packaged foods.