subject: What is Smart Packaging? [print this page] What urges you to buy one product over other if both are brand new in the market. It is actually the external appearance that affect our perceptions and ideas about the product. Packing any product thus is a challenge and companies often spend huge amount on smart packaging.
Smart packaging is the intelligent packing that serve the purpose of packing and at the same time urges the buyer to pick your product among some many other items. It also add functionality to the product along with security and consumption.
Packaging Smartness
Packaging smartness is not only in the appearance but it also depends upon other factors like type of food being packed, household products, age for which the packing is being done etc. But whatsoever are the factors, smart packaging must include the following
It should prevent the spoilage of food by maintaining integrity.
It should retain flavour, taste and enhance the look of the packed product.
It should act in the changing environment of temperature and weather.
Must have clear information on the product, calorie details, ingredients and other such required information.
Must be sealed properly to maintain the integrity.
Smart packaging also has the microbial growth indicators, along with physical shock indicators, leakage and microbial spoilage indicators. There is also advanced version of the packing that is active packaging. It is still under the phase of development. It has more features than the intelligent packaging. This includes oxygen scavenging, anti-microbial, moisture absorbing, ethylene scavenging etc.
Smart Packaging Functioning
In this kind of packaging external or internal conditions causes the packing functions to trigger on and off accordingly. Through the indicators the customer will come to know about the status of the food product if it is consumable or not.
Fresh fruits and vegetables are packed in the smart packaging films and packing. For this breathable polymer films are used. The smart packaging pouch for this automatically regulates the ingression of oxygen and egression of carbon dioxide. This helps in creating an optimal temperature and environment around the food product thus preventing its spoilage.
Reason for Intelligent Packaging
Today there is a growing need of getting more and more information about the product by the consumer. This urge has led to the development of new and innovative concepts of intelligent packaging. Buyers are looking for the ingredients and component of the packed food and how these should be stored and used for a longer time.
In case of pharmaceutical packing the packaging will tell the consumers that how to discard the packing after consumption. It is the information that is required by the recycling companies. Also it should contain the information on healthcare centers that are required by the patient.
