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quality 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.