No abstract

Contamination of food may occur at any stage in the process from "farm to fork". The consumption of food contaminated with infectious bacteria, viruses and parasites, and noninfectious chemicals and toxins may cause over 200 diseases that range from diarrhea to cancers. Conventional packaging systems are sophisticated, and passive and only protect the environment. Currently, there is an elevation in new consumer demands such as improved communication capabilities in packaging systems. To satisfy the demand, smart packaging systems may be designed and employed. In this review, the mode of action adopted to ensure safety and security by various smart packaging techniques for food products such as fruits, vegetables, dairy products, baked goods, meat products, beverages, and space foods is discussed. Active packaging technology focuses on maintaining the quality and enhancing the shelf-life of food products. The elements of active packaging systems meet up the real market needs by incorporating functional agents into the packaging material. Intelligent packaging technology indicates the freshness, quality, safety, and security of food products and posses quality identification systems to effectively communicate with consumers. This review aims to analyze and interpret the concept of smart packaging systems, consumer perception, and their application in various food sectors.

The global annual production of tomatoes is estimated to be 162 million tons every year. China is the world's largest producer of tomatoes with 50 million tons, followed by India with 17.5 million tons (Sarma, 2018). Tomatoes are consumed in the fresh state or as processed products, they are quite rich in nutrients such as carbohydrates, fiber, amino acids, organic acids, vitamins A, C, and E, minerals, and phenolics. It is epidemiologically proven that phenolics and their resultant antioxidants play a vital role in terms of reducing the risk of heart diseases and aiding in boosting the immune system (Ozturk & Ozer, 2019).According to the consumers, the unique flavor and aroma possessed by the commodity are the primary shelf life and quality indicating parameters (Beaulieu et al., 2004). These sensorial characteristics rely on balancing complex factors such as sugar content, volatile compounds, and organic acids (Gemma et al., 2011). Tomatoes are highly perishable commodities that encounter severe postharvest losses throughout the food supply chain's transportation, storage, and marketing stages, causing harm to both producers and consumers (Nasrin et al., 2009).The postharvest losses as a result of unfavorable weather conditions, disease and pests, damage during harvest, delay in harvest, damage during transportation, lack of market, and damage during