Nanoclays in Food and Beverage Packaging

Abstract

In this study, we present and discuss the technical benefits of using nanoclays as a promising property enhancer in organic polymers for food and beverage packaging. The incorporation of nanoclays can improve the thermal, mechanical, and barrier properties of a host polymer. Both natural hydrophilic and modified organophilic nanoclays provide unique characteristics to the host polymer depending on the selected applications. Besides the advantage of polymer reinforcement, various novel applications of nanoclays in food packaging have been suggested recently, such as control and release for active ingredients, antimicrobial agent, and carrier for the colorimetric indicator system. The existing migration studies discussing the transition from plastic to nanoclay packaging revealed that the diffused level of aluminum and silicon in the nanoclay packaging are within the limitation proposed in Council Directive 90/128/EEC (1990). Therefore, until now, there is no safety restriction in the use of clay nanocomposite films in food packaging applications.