Polymeric Food Packaging With Intercalated Active Principles
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing active packaging systems for food products have limited capability in modulating the release of active principles, leading to rapid release and inadequate preservation, as they often rely on simple mixing of inorganic powders with polymers without pre-treatment, resulting in short release durations of less than 24 hours.
Innovation Solution
A polymeric material with a lamellar inorganic component and active principle intercalated or absorbed within its structure, allowing for controlled release through ionic bonds, which can be modulated over several days, enhancing the shelf life and preservation of food products.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If inorganic powders are simply mixed with polymer matrices without pre-treatment, then the manufacturing process is simple, but the release duration is extremely short (less than 24 hours)
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-treating inorganic powders with silane coupling agents before mixing them with the polymer matrix. This pre-treatment modifies the surface properties of the inorganic particles, enabling them to form stable bonds with the polymer and control the release kinetics of active principles. The silane treatment creates a gradient structure that allows sustained release over days rather than hours, resolving the contradiction between manufacturing simplicity and prolonged release duration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes physical and chemical parameters of the inorganic particles through silane modification. By altering the surface chemistry and creating a gradient in cross-linking density from the particle surface to the interior, the system achieves controlled release kinetics. This parameter change transforms the release profile from rapid (less than 24 hours) to sustained (days), while maintaining a relatively simple manufacturing process.
2Reliability
If active principles are rapidly released from the packaging matrix, then the initial protective effect is strong, but the preservation duration is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs parameter changes by creating a gradient in cross-linking density within the polymer matrix. The region near inorganic particles has higher cross-linking density, which retards the release of active principles, while regions farther away have lower density, allowing initial release. This gradient structure ensures both strong initial protective effect and prolonged preservation duration, resolving the contradiction between reliability and duration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite materials combining organic polymer matrices with inorganic particles that have been silane-modified. This composite structure creates a multi-phase system with different release characteristics, where the inorganic particles act as reservoirs that gradually release active principles. The composite nature allows simultaneous achievement of strong initial protection and extended preservation duration.
3Adaptability or versatility
If inorganic components are added to enhance release control, then the release modulation capability improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-modifying inorganic particles with silane coupling agents before incorporation into the polymer matrix. This pre-treatment step, while adding a process step, creates particles that inherently provide release modulation capability through their modified surface properties and gradient structure. The result is a system with excellent release modulation capability that doesn't require complex multi-layer structures or additional control mechanisms, thus limiting the increase in overall system complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system achieves a controlled and prolonged release of active principles, such as antimicrobics and antioxidants, significantly extending the preservation time of food products by slowing down the release kinetics, ensuring effective protection against degradation.
Implementation Method 1
an inorganic component dispersed inside said matrix and characterized by a lamellar structure with neutralized net positive or negative charge able to intercalate within said lamellar structure an active principle
Implementation Method 2
lamellar structure with neutralized net positive or negative charge able to intercalate within said lamellar structure an active principle
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
The invention relates to polymeric materials with which implementing packagings for food products. These packagings retain an active principle able to prolong the shelf life of the contained product and to limit each type of deterioration and/or degradation. It further allows to subject the food product to less drastic and destructive treatments during the sterilization phase before the packaging. The active principle is confined in the polymeric material, immobilized with ionic bonds to a lamellar organic solid so as to obtain an intercalation compound which is easily dispersed in the packaging. The packaging, coming in contact with the food product, can allow, under particular conditions, the discharge of the active principle and the scattering thereof in the food product, or it can be fixed in the packaging by performing a barrier action. The polymer matrix can be constituted by any type of thermosetting or thermoplastic polymeric material, pure or mixed with other materials, pure or with organic or inorganic fillers, with synthetic or natural origin. The system at issue can be used for any type of food packaging, such as for example flexible films, polycoupled films, basins, bags, small pots, etc.