Brasil Pack Trends 2020

BrasilPackTrends2020 165 qual ity and new technologies new legislations may restrict applications; the packages involving nanotechnology are still at a high cost; and the time between R&D and commercialization is still long (BARNETT, 2011a). Therefore, the many potential benefits of the nanotechnology should be tried against its potential risks, which are still being evaluated. The resources needed for research are significant, although they are decreasing since 2008. The international cooperation and strategic planning to establish the researches priorities are necessary in order to reduce time and efforts on the nanoscience and nanotechnology advancements (MAGNUSON at al., 2011). The biggest funding sources have been governmental and academic and Japan is leading it. Safety issues related to the use of nanotechnology are still a concern due to the little amount of toxicological studies straightly designed and focused on the impact of that on human health; to the limiting of analytical methods to detect and characterize the nanomaterials incorporated in the package and in the product; and to the limited understanding about the nanomaterials characteristics which affect the consumer safety, especially in food and beverage applications. Hence, the future of the nanotechnology applied to food and beverage packages is associated to the attitude of the regulatory agencies, like ANVISA in Brazil, in the face of the potential risks and hazards that are still being studied. Specifically related to the application of nanotechnology in packaging, there are countless gaps for studies: nanomaterials migration in polymers; interaction between bionanomaterials and cellular components; the value of acceptable doses concerning nanomaterials; the relation between nanoparticles characteristics (size, shape, polarity etc.) and toxicity; appropriatedmethods for identification, characterization and quantification of nanomaterials in complex food matrices; chronic toxicity; and biodegradability of nanomaterials or nanomaterials toxicity to ecological important organisms (DUNCAN, 2011). Nanoscience and nanotechnology applied to packages are still recent and it has a promising future, uncertain though. The applications in packages are still limited. The ethic, risks and hazards issues associated with the safe and successful use of nanotechnology in food and beverage packages will impose a constant dialogue between scientists, companies and consumers. It is expected that the success of that dialogue bring important consequences to the safe supply of food and beverages on a world-wide scale. 6.4 BIOPOLYMERS Even though most of the package materials are not from renewable sources (glass, metal and fossil source thermoplastics), the bioplastics have had loads of attention as they show themselves as alternative for the reduction of the petroleum dependency and have potential to reduce the impacts of the package sector in the environment, if they are produced with responsibility. Sustainability issues have had some impact on the package sector, especially when designated to food, beverages and cosmetics. That fact is even more remarkable in mature markets such as the European and the USA’s one. Consequentially, the search for renewable materials has increased. The barriers to be overcame by manufacturers and users are production costs, R&D costs for product development, offer limitations and limited performance. Because they have different chemical composition from conventional polymers of the package sector, with some exceptions, they demand processing technologies that are many times different of the one available in the converters. Another challenge for the utilization of biopolymers is trying not to compromise the efficiency of processing lines operation and distribution logistics. The market of biopolymers has grown as its production rout and the material itself have become more technically advanced and more cost competitive. As the petroleum cost increases, bioplastics naturally become more competitive.