Internet of Packaging has the power to revolutionize the food industry

What is Internet of Packaging or IoP?

By Paroma Bhattacharya: Packaging is a part of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, which connects physical, biological, and digital sciences in a variety of ways, including applications that use Internet of Packaging (IoP) technology for food industry intelligence.

The Internet of Packaging is a global network of one-of-a-kind, machine-readable packaging that connects with the outside world via scanners and mobile devices on a continual basis.

Individual items are given traceable IDs, which are managed through our SaaS platform in the cloud. Individual package information can be added and changed in the cloud at any time during the product lifecycle.

• IoP a sort of clever packaging that allows for improved internet communication;
• Allows for autonomous data collection, event transmission, network connectivity, and interoperability.
• Has already improved the experiences of consumers, retailers, brand owners, and post-consumer customers.

IoP already has important solutions in place for consumer marketing and brand engagement, as well as brand protection, tracking, and process optimization.

And it’s already causing havoc with the way things are done. Value chain are slowly being replaced by value network, thanks to the Internet of Packaging.

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There is no longer a one-way flow of information. There are IoP platforms, application developers, advertising agencies, and digital agencies establishing an interactive network on top of the conventional value chain, which normally travels linearly from manufacturer to retailer to consumer.

Because of its efficiency, the internet of packaging market is fast expanding and Reports and Data expects it to be of a substantial size by 2028.

IoP can bring meaningful value to food packaging in various categories. Two categories are mentioned below: the ability to detect dangerous food and increasing customer confidence in food and its packaging.

Source : https://www.reportsanddata.com/report-detail/internet-of-packaging-market

Detecting When Food Isn’t Quite Right

Complex quality-related parameters such as flavor, odor, toxicity, or freshness, as well as food safety, are currently communicated through intelligent packaging.

Time and temperature integrators (such as Evigence, TimeStrip VSP, and Vitsab) and a plethora of indicators are the most prominent examples.

Specific sensors with detection limits for oxygen, hydrogen sulphide, and other microbial growth by-products are in use, and this is an area where there is a lot of innovation.

There are package sensors that detect when a product’s shelf life is about to expire, convey this information, and then serve as release agents to extend the shelf life as needed.

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IoP can be used to add internet connectivity to these on-pack sensors, allowing them to communicate with each other along the supply chain.

This is feasible since it entails extending current RFID and NFC technologies for pallet-sized loads to primary, secondary, and tertiary packaging.

The value of using the internet to communicate shelf-life information is that it allows for greater flexibility and planning throughout the supply chain, from production to transportation to consumer use.

Re-Establishing Customer Trust In Food And Its Packaging

The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) and, more recently, the FDA proposed rule “Requirements for Additional Traceability Records for Certain Foods,” have fuelled intelligent packaging and now the IoP.

This is intended to address the questions, “Where is this from?” and “What is this made of?” posed by customers. And to make it possible to track down the sources of harmful compounds.

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In the realm of IoP, blockchain and other tracing technologies help to prevent food fraud, quickly resolve food safety violations, and give consumers with product information.

The time it takes to trace the origins of a food safety outbreak is reduced from 6 weeks to 2 seconds utilizing IoP, which saves lives and money.

This translates to more targeted recalls, reduced confusion, and better customer trust in food safety. The application of IoP to packaging is a multidimensional opportunity.

Let’s look at a few examples that are similar to food safety. Because these IoP technologies are on the box, it makes sense to respond to consumer inquiries such as “where did the package come from?” and “what is it made of?” IoP can be used to establish consumer trust in packaging by tracking package material sources.

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This can be accomplished by utilizing the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) architecture of Key Data Elements (KDEs) linked to Critical Tracking Events (CTEs), which will enable for the tracking of things like Non-Intentionally Added Substances (NIAS) and IAS (Intentionally Added Substances).

Consumer confidence in packaging has been restored as a result of information. By providing source information, the paperboard packaging business, for example, has established a strong sustainability link with consumers.

This has taken the shape of PCR content (percent post-consumer recycled), sustainable forest certifications, and power sources coming from water, solar, wind, or fossil fuels.