Clear Packaging May Affect Food Taste and Smell

Translucent packaging may compromise the taste and odour of food, scientists say.

Virginia Tech food scientists say recent research has provided significant evidence that visible wavelengths of light cause taste and odour changes in food.

For example, visible light degrades riboflavin in milk, interacts with flavour and odour molecules and causes pigment damage in food.

The scientists studied the effect of UV light in the range of 200 to 400 nanometres, which is the same range that causes skin damage.

Researcher Susan Duncan says as packaging has moved away from paperboard to polymers such as polyethylene, so manufacturers have begun to encounter problems with food quality.

Duncan says adding UV absorbers to the packaging materials went some way to resolving the problem, but they did not perform as well as opaque containers.

The scientists also tested a number of new materials, including a translucent sleeve over-wrap with an iridescent shimmer that reflects wavelengths, which also helped preserve the flavour of the food.

"We want to find manufacturers to work with us to develop packaging products that will work with milk and the visible wavelengths," Duncan says.
Source: packaging-technology