Innovative packaging that saves food

Food waste is a great problem nowadays; while many people are starving around the world, tons of food is wasted every day. An efficient way to preserve food is using industrial processes such as heat, cold, drying, fermentation, irradiation, high pressure, pulsed electric fields and modified atmosphere, among others, but it is also possible to use active packaging (AP) to extend the shelf life of food products. This packaging uses active compounds, as antimicrobial and antioxidants that could be released over time in the food and its products and increase their shelf life. Active packaging can be produced from agroindustrial wastes from which it is possible to extract proteins, carbohydrates, and lipids. These materials could be used to develop biodegradable and edible packages. The current chapter discusses existing and innovative packaging solutions to minimize food waste.