Abstract Smart active packaging is an innovative packaging system that combines the benefits of measuring, estimating or predicting different aspects of food quality or safety with the release of an active substance that extends product shelf life. Nevertheless, in its typical configuration, the active packaging and the smart packaging are not connected, and the information provided is not exploited to design the release of the active substance. In this work, we demonstrate how smart active packaging systems using predictive mathematical models allow the automatic optimisation of food packaging design and the prediction of the expected shelf life along the food chain. On the one hand, the system calculates the best design of the active packaging and the concentration of the active substance in the different layers that maximise food quality and safety. On the other hand, the model allows to calculate and update shelf life values along the food chain under unexpected changes in the storage conditions. Shelf life estimations and prediction will help distributors and sellers to adjust the product market prices. For example, prices can be lowered to avoid food losses when the product is close to its use-by date. Hake (Merluccius merluccius) represents an example of a highly relevant and perishable food that can be conserved using natural antimicrobials. Therefore, the case study selected to illustrate the proposed methodology consists of the smart active packaging of hake using carvacrol as the active substance (antimicrobial). Besides, different polymers are considered as possible active packaging materials. The Matlab ™ codes required to perform the simulations of the models described in this work as well as the optimisations for packaging design are available at https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3244153 .

中文翻译：

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基于模型的具有抗菌活性的智能活性包装系统设计

摘要 智能活性包装是一种创新的包装系统，它将测量、估计或预测食品质量或安全的不同方面的好处与延长产品保质期的活性物质的释放相结合。然而，在其典型配置中，活性包装和智能包装没有连接，并且所提供的信息没有被用于设计活性物质的释放。在这项工作中，我们展示了使用预测数学模型的智能主动包装系统如何实现食品包装设计的自动优化和食品链中预期保质期的预测。一方面，该系统计算活性包装的最佳设计以及不同层中活性物质的浓度，以最大限度地提高食品质量和安全性。另一方面，该模型允许在存储条件发生意外变化的情况下计算和更新沿食物链的保质期值。保质期估计和预测将有助于分销商和销售商调整产品市场价格。例如，当产品接近使用期限时，可以降低价格以避免食物损失。鳕鱼（Merluccius merluccius）代表了可以使用天然抗菌剂保存的高度相关且易腐烂的食物的一个例子。因此，选择来说明拟议方法的案例研究包括使用香芹酚作为活性物质（抗菌剂）的鳕鱼智能活性包装。此外，不同的聚合物被认为是可能的活性包装材料。执行本工作中描述的模型仿真以及包装设计优化所需的 Matlab™ 代码可在 https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3244153 上获得。