Implications of light energy on food quality and packaging selection

Light energy in the ultraviolet and visible light regions plays a critical role in overall food quality, leading to various degradation and oxidation reactions. Food degradation and oxidation result in the destruction of nutrients and bioactive compounds, the formation of off odors and flavors, the loss of food color, and the formation of toxic substances. Food compounds are sensitive to various light wavelengths. Understanding the effect that specific light wavelengths have on food compounds will allow the development of novel food packaging materials that block the most damaging light wavelengths to photostability of specific food compounds. Future research should focus more specifically on the effect of specific light wavelengths on the quality of specific food products, as there is limited published information on this particular topic. This information also can be directly related to the selection of food packaging materials to retain both high quality and visual clarity of food products exposed to light.