Technologies and Fabrication of Intelligent Packaging for Perishable Products

The preservation of perishable products to maintain their quality is of paramount importance for food safety and security, and is attracting more attention due to increasing concerns regarding food quality, healthcare, and quality of life. Advances in technology and materials in recent years have led to the development and implementation of intelligent packaging for perishable products that can monitor or even control their quality in a supply chain. In this paper, the techniques used in intelligent packaging (i.e., indicators, sensors, and identification technology) and the major printing methods for fabricating electronics (i.e., inkjet printing, screen printing, and gravure printing) are reviewed with a focus on the packaging of perishable products. Although the high manufacturing costs pose a major challenge the commercialization and large-scale deployment of perishable products, it is expected that the technological progresses in printing electronics will significantly reduce the manufacturing cost of intelligent packaging to a threshold of acceptance by markets. In addition, the broad applications of intelligent packaging can facilitate the traction and monitoring of perishable products for better control of the product quality and improved management of the supply chain.