Perspectives for Chitin/Chitosan Based Films as Active Packaging Systems on a Food Product

More and more attention is being focused on the production of active packaging materials that could be an alternative to synthetic petroleum-based polymers. After cellulose, chitosan is the second most commonly used biopolymer. This chapter focuses on chitosan as an active packaging material and comprehensively discusses the effects of major factors on the properties of chitosan-based films. Also, current developments as well as potential applications in the food industry of active chitosan packaging material are mentioned. Chitosan films can act as active packaging materials due to their biological properties. Various active ingredients such as nanofillers, metals, drugs, extracts, etc., can be included to improve the antimicrobial properties of chitosan films. Recently, chitosan-based nanocomposites have become very popular among the scientific community. The addition of nanofillers to chitosan films changes their physical and chemical properties.