## 3 Edible Coatings
### Active Edible Packaging  
#### 3.4.1 Active Systems  
Food packaging has many tasks: it protects the contents of the package, protects it from contamination and spoilage, and also enables easier movement and storage of food. In addition, they perform an informative function, providing useful information to customers, marketing and advertising, and increasing the share of the product on the market. All these attributes are interrelated and important already at the packaging design stage [104]. Traditional food packaging is currently being modified by incorporating nanotechnology into production or creating active packaging with improved functionality. Edible nanomaterials and coatings are usually a better solution than conventional packaging because they provide better preservation and longer quality retention [114]. An example is the edible coating \"Naturen(tm)\" developed in Thailand, which is specially designed to preserve the quality of freshly cut fruit, extending its shelf life by three times [115]. Regulations EC 1935/2004 [116] and EC 10/2011 [117] provide detailed information on the declarations of conformity that food products must comply with. These guidelines concern, among others, the use of active packaging materials, the release of substances that are referred to as food additives (accredited), and materials that are used during processing, in direct or indirect contact with food during the entire production process [39]. Active packaging is defined as packaging systems that are intended to extend the shelf life of the product and improve the safety, quality, and durability of food [118], and according to the definition contained in Regulation (EC) No 450/2009 [119], they are defined as \"materials and articles whose function is to extend the shelf life or to maintain or improve the condition of packaged food that is intentionally designed so that their ingredients release or absorb substances into or around the packaged food\". Active packaging can be biodegradable films, edible coatings, or sachets, e.g., absorbing ethylene, moisture, or inserts [120]. It is estimated that active packaging systems that cause changes in the environmental conditions of packaged food during its storage in 2024 in the US market are expected to reach USD 6 billion in revenue. In addition, due to the growing interest in the development of active food packaging, it is possible to continuously improve the monitoring and control of environmental conditions to increase the durability of products and ensure their greater integrity. The main systems used as active packaging are, e.g., oxygen and ethylene scavengers, carbon dioxide scavengers/emitters, systems that release or absorb the food, as well as antioxidants, antimicrobials, and regulators to control changes in moisture. In addition, the development and manufacturing of active systems used in food packaging are constantly monitored by various regulatory agencies, such as the Food Safety Authority (EU) and the Food and Drug Administration (USA). This is their correct and safe use, thus constituting the legal basis [121]. The Regulation EC 1935/2004 [116] on materials and articles intended for consumption and contact with food contains information on the requirements for classifying substances responsible for shaping the active functions of the material, classifying them as safe and meeting all the requirements. The physical size of the active substance diffusing through polymer macromolecules is of great importance in active packaging and release rate effectiveness. In addition, in active release systems, attention should be paid to the volatility of the active substance present, as, for example, non-volatile antioxidants are suitable for packaging that comes into direct contact with food, releasing the active substances on the surface of the food through stimulus reactions.