There has been a great progress in the field of packaging nanotechnology which impacts every field of science as well as in our daily life. The nanoscale materials play a very important role in the packaging of electronic and photonic devices to packaging of health products to food.
Nanotechnology in packaging
Nanotechnology is taking food and beverage packaging technologies to new heights. Applications in nano-enabled packaging include development of improved tastes, color, flavor, texture and consistency of foodstuffs, increased absorption and bio-availability of nutrients and health supplements, new food packaging materials with improved mechanical, barrier and antimicrobial properties, and nano-sensors for traceability and monitoring the condition of food during transport and storage.
Among active technologies in the current market, oxygen scavenger, moisture absorbers and barrier packaging represent more than 80% of marketed technologies. Foe example, a “nano-film” that when applied to fruits and vegetables can emit a chemical vapor which can extend the shelf-life of vegetables by up to 21 days without any loss of quality. This nano material contains a key ingredient known as hexanal, a synthetic version of what can usually be found  in plants such as beans and cucumbers.
The major contribution of nanotechnology is the following.
• Time/temperature indicators take a major share of intelligent packaging, with radio frequency identification data tags (RFIDs). This field is forecasted to show a strong growth in this category.
 • The bakery and meat products categories have attracted the most nano-packaging applications.
 • In beverages, carbonated drinks and bottled water dominate.
 • Active packaging is already being successfully applied to extend shelf-life while maintaining nutritional quality and ensuring microbiological safety.
 • Nanoclays have shown the broadest commercial viability due to their lower cost and their utility in common thermoplastics like polypropylene (PP), thermoplastic polyolefin (TPO), PET, polyethylene (PE), polystyrene (PS), and nylon.
Commercial applications in food
The applications of nanomaterials in packaging technology have been a topic of current scientific studies and curiosity.
Examples of commercial applications include the use of oxygen scavengers for sliced processed meat, ready-to-eat meals and beer, the use of moisture absorbers for fresh meat, poultry, and fresh fish, and ethylene-scavenging bags for packaging of fruit and vegetables.
Research areas
There are many aspects of packaging nanotechnology from science to engineering to medicine to food science. The research areas are quite broad and include polymer-clay nano composites for foods and pharmaceutical packaging, traditional plastic (PP, PE, nylon, PET, EVOH, etc.) based nano composites for packaging, green polymer (PLA, PHAs, starch, etc.) based nano composites for packaging, nanotechnology in printing, nanotechnology in coating, nanotechnology in electronics, optoelectronics, and photonics packaging, low and high- materials for micro- and nano-electronics packaging, nanotechnology in supply chain/security, nanotechnology in paper-based packaging, social and environmental impacts of nanotechnology in packaging, life cycle analysis and economical feasibility of nano composites in barrier packaging market. Descriptions on various nanoparticles, other nano structured materials and their roles in different aspects of packaging (high barrier/scratch resistance/UV radiation absorbers, etc)
The research topics also include synthesis, processing, fabrication, spectroscopic characterization, properties and applications of nanomaterials in packaging science and technology. The other aspects include melt processing, polymer/montmorillonite layered silicates, nano composites films for food packaging, transport properties of polymer/layer fillers nano composites, semi aromatic polyester/layered silicate nano composite materials, nano composites of polyolefin, nylon nano composites, microcellular polymer nano composites, bio-nanotechnology in bio packaging, starch nano composites, proteinous nanomaterials silver nano composites for antimicrobial packaging, the use of nanotechnology to improve the performance of plant oil-based coatings for military use and applications in packaging, nano material enhanced scaffolds for tissue engineering, commercial development of nano composite packaging, and environmental and social impacts of nanotechnology in packaging.
Among the regions, Asia/Pacific, in particular Japan, is the market leader in active nano-enabled packaging. By contrast, the European market for nanotechnology is strong in food and beverage packing.