in the works cheaper, better packaging for perishables

singapore a new packaging material from the agency for science, technology and research&39s astar institute of materials research and engineering imre that is cheaper and helps extend the shelflife of food will be developed and tested with key industry partners, the agency said in a press release on thursday nov 27.the new packaging material being developed is intended for the food packaging market, where metallised plastic packaging material is commonly used to extend the shelflife of perishables.&nbsp&quotwe want to develop a protective plastic that is as effective as metallised plastic films that are currently in the market, but with 20 per cent cost savings,&quot said dr li xu, the principal scientist leading the research and development r&ampd efforts.the new material works to keep food fresher and longerlasting by actively removing residual oxygen in the packaging, said astar. it does so by incorporating nanotechnology based on nontoxic ferric compounds and uses a dualpurpose highbarrier plate silicate sheet, which effectively blocks moisture and oxygen from seeping into the packaging. &nbsp&quotour new material will help reduce food wastage considerably, and allow consumers to more accurately identify when food actually spoils,&quot added prof andy hor, executive director of imre. astar noted that arbitrary expiry dates and &quotfood freshness&quot labels may have also been responsible for premature food disposal by more than 90 per cent of people in the united states.another imre innovation, a sensor strip that detects minute chemical concentrations associated with the freshness of meat, can be used with the packaging to give a more accurate indication of food expiration, astar added.the technology was launched on nov 17 as part of the second phase of the&nbspimreled industrial coatings and packaging consortium. the industry partners coming onboard to help develop and test the material consist of mitsui chemicals asia pacific, toyo ink, dai nippon printing, piaget chemicals &amp manufacturing and dou yee enterprises. these partners have signed an agreement to do so, said astar. cnaav