These days, attempts are being made to improve the sustainable packaging system by adding bioactive compounds and probiotics, which in return enhance the nutritive value, functionality, and overall performance of the edible films. One of the canonical concepts to achieve the same is encapsulation and techniques like nanoemulsions ( Jafari et al., 2017) and liposome technology ( Ajeeshkumar et al., 2021) are used to encapsulate desired materials in food products.Įncapsulation is gaining popularity for use not only in food products but in edible films and coatings as well, which are a sustainable alternative to the conventional food-packaging systems.
Entrapment of bioactive substances in food with controlled release strategy is one such area where the scientific fraternity is working diligently to ensure food products with abundant health benefits. The concepts like green foods with bioactive components that bestow numerous health benefits lure the consumers ( Rostamabadi et al., 2021). There is a need for circular food supply chains which are transparent and interconnected in nature such that the waste from one industry can help in the value addition of another product in a different food industry ( Lavelli, 2021). Additionally, an increase in global trading of food is leading the food technologists to produce food products of high quality and safety. The end consumer is more conversant about the food profile and even more apprehensive about the farm to fork journey of the component that he/she is about to consume. The food industry and allied sectors like food-packaging industry and nutraceutical industry, face complex challenges on a regular basis due to change in production practices and consumer preferences. The techniques, characteristics, applications, scope, and thrust areas for research in encapsulation are discussed in detail with focus on development of sustainable edible packaging. This review explains the concept of encapsulation by exploring various encapsulating materials and their potential role in augmenting the performance of edible coatings/films. It can be used as a method for entrapment of desirable flavors, probiotics, or other additives in order to apprehend the impediments of the conventional edible packaging. One promising technology for overcoming the aforesaid problems is encapsulation. A combination of novel edible food-packaging material and innovative technologies can serve as an excellent medium to control the bioavailability of these compounds in food matrices. Bioactive compounds imbibed in food systems are gradually degenerated, or may change their properties due to internal or external factors like oxidation reactions, or they may react with each other thus reducing their bioavailability and ultimately may result in unacceptable color or flavor. This shift in paradigm from traditional food packaging to edible, environment friendly, delivery vehicles for bioactive compounds have opened new avenues for the packaging industry. These edible packaging are indispensable and are meant to be consumed with the food. and other consumable constituents extracted from various non-conventional sources like microorganisms are used alone or imbibed together. Edible packaging is a swiftly emerging art of science in which edible biopolymers like lipids, polysaccharides, proteins, resins, etc. Packaging performs a very imminent role in the food supply chain as well as it is a consequential part of the process of food manufacturing. Also, the rising awareness among the consumers regarding these has created an opportunity for the food manufacturers and scientists worldwide to use food as a delivery vehicle. Nutraceuticals, functional foods, immunity boosters, microcapsules, nanoemulsions, edible packaging, and safe food are the new progressive terms, adopted to describe the food industry.
Vandana Chaudhary 1, Neha Thakur 2, Priyanka Kajla 3, Shubham Thakur 4 and Sneh Punia 5 *