Since the beginning of the 21st century, food-borne illness, especially in developing countries, has increased due to environmental and demographic changes. Salmonellosis, cholera, enterohemorrhagic infections, hepatitis A, and other diseases have been reported in both developed and developing countries as a result of contaminated food intake (Ka ̈ferstein and Abdussalam, 1999). Thus, the global importance of food safety is fully known to all. Food services, merchants, and consumers in the United States lost or ruined more than 96 billion pounds of food, according to the USDA Economic Research Service in 1995 (Rawat, 2015). Food is not wasted or polluted as a result of the packing technology, and food quality is maintained during storage and consumption (Ghasempour et al., 2022). Although petrochemical-based plastics are widely used to package a variety of foods, these materials are not easily degradable in the environment due to their high molecular weight, insensitivity to interchain interactions, and high water resistance (Amjadi et al., 2021a). Because of the environmental pollution problems resulting from petrochemical-based plastics, the consumer demands have focused on the development of eco-friendly food packaging systems (Amjadi et al., 2020; Huang et al., 2009). The advantages of biopolymers include their environmentally friendly characteristics, biocompatibility, wide variety and availability, and nontoxicity (Amjadi et al., 2022; Mihindukulasuriya and Lim, 2014). However, the biopolymer-based packaging systems have some limitations such as poor mechanical properties and poor water barrier properties (Jafarzadeh et al., 2022). The common technique to overcome these limitations is the addition of nanostructures in biopolymer-based packaging systems and the development of nanocomposites. Metallic nanoparticles (NPs) are one of the most promising types of nanomaterials for antimicrobial food packaging applications (Jayaramudu et al., 2022). These NPs have a huge surface area and high specificity, resulting in significant antibacterial action (Amjadi et al., 2021b; Shankar et al., 2014). The use of NPs for use in food packaging films has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (He and Hwang, 2016). Metal or metal oxide NPs such ascopper (Cu) or copper oxide (CuO) NPs have been utilized in polymer matrices as reinforcing fillers to improve their functional, mechanical, antimicrobial, and barrier properties (Raquez et al., 2013). Fig. 13.1 indicates the advantages associated with the utilization of CuO NPs in food packaging structures by the casting method, which is the common method for preparing the bio-composite films. Since ancient times, Cu ions and Cu complexes have been employed as effective materials for ster- ilizing liquids, particularly water, as well as having antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral properties (Shankar et al., 2017). CuO NPs are used in the medical and cosmetic industries to make products such as wound dressings, face masks, sunscreens, and toothpaste (Tamayo et al., 2016). These NPs are superior to other NPs such as silver NPs due to the low cost of raw materials, low sensitivity to human tissues, and high sensitivity to microorganisms (Roy et al., 2019). The inclusion of CuO NPs into polymers allows for the creation of composite films with improved mechanical strength, water and oxygen resistance, and antibacterial activity and UV-blocking capabilities, among other benefits (Hasheminya et al., 2018). This chapter focuses on the advantages of incorporating CuO NPs into polymer-based packaging. Moreover, an overview of the latest research covering the potential for utilizing CuO NPs in food packaging applications for improving the film properties and extending the shelf life of the packaged products is also given.
