Braskem Moves Forward with Research on Interactive Packaging

Have you ever imagined packaging that notifies you when the yogurt it holds has spoiled or the fish you purchased at the supermarket is no longer fresh? Very soon, this type of technology will probably be something quite common in our lives, thanks to research headed by Braskem, an Odebrecht Group company.

The so-called “interactive packaging” is currently being studied by Braskem in partnership with the North American university Clemson and the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS). In practice, it changes color and alerts consumers that the product is no longer fit for consumption.

The good news is that this technology can be used in perishable products from a range of different sectors. In research conducted on poultry, beef and fish, for example, the changes in their pH determine changes in the color of the packaging. “This will give consumers peace of mind about the quality they are taking home, and companies will have control over the integrity of their product after it is manufactured, whether during transport or at the point of sale,” explained Patrick Teyssonneyre, Global Head of Technology and Innovation at Braskem.

Braskem began researching interactive packaging in 2013, concluded the proof-of-concept in 2015, and produced its first prototypes in 2016. It currently has the availability to advance the study with interested sectors. “The development of the interactive packaging for a specific segment must be customized, and that is why it should take a few more years before it arrives to store shelves, added Teyssonneyre.

How does the interactive packaging work?