Recent advances in natural melanin added food packaging

Melanin is a natural pigment found in plants, animals, insects and microbes. The melanin can be extracted from the natural resources using various methods such as solvent extraction, ultrasonication, enzyme assisted extraction, etc. The functional properties of melanin are useful for developing active packaging film and coatings. Melanin shows several important biological properties such as antioxidant, antimicrobial, UV-light barrier properties which are suitable for food packaging application. Moreover, the reinforcement of packaging polymers with melanin improves its physical properties such as mechanical, thermal and barrier properties. Furthermore, the presence of melanin as a bioactive ingredient in packaging polymers has been extensively reported to enhance the shelf life of perishable foods such as fruits, vegetables, dairy and meat. This chapter discusses the natural melanin incorporated packaging for developing smart food packaging.