The company, Advanced Nanotechnology, says that existing chemical UV absorbers that are used to prevent product deterioration and extend product shelf life are known to migrate out of thin plastic films and in some cases, into the contents of the packaging.
Replacing the chemical absorbers with dispersed zinc oxide nanoparticles provides the required UV protection and product stability, while remaining transparent, inert and stable within the film, it claims.
Zinc oxide nanoparticles, one of a range of nanoingredients produced by Advanced Nanotechnoloy, could also have anti-microbial properties. Nanotechnology researchers in the UK reported last year that both zinc oxide and magnesium oxide had been found to be effective in killing microorganisms.
Other teams are looking at how nanoparticles in plastic film can block out harmful gases that shorten the shelf life of food.
Advanced Nanotechnology has been awarded a grant of $1.948 million under the Australian government's Commercial Ready programme, allowing it to commercialise the food film as well as new products for other industries.
Transparent food packaging film is a multi-billion dollar global market, with growth driven by rising demand for convenient foods.
Worldwide sales of nanotechnology products to the food and beverage packaging sector jumped to US$860m (€687.5m) in 2004 from US$150m (€120m) in 2002, according to study by consultant Helmut Kaiser released last year.
Nanotechnology is set to change 25 per cent of the food packaging business in the next decade, he forecast.
The surging growth comes mainly from the rapid increase in the applications employing nanotechnology. There were less than 40 nanopackaging products in the market three years ago. Now there are about 250 applications on the market, Kaiser said.
