The digitization of a food package's life cycle: Existing and emerging computer systems in the logistics and post-logistics phase

At present, the food and food packaging industry is increasingly confronted with and gently forced by consumers and governmental organizations to resolve issues related to food fraud, counterfeit, theft, food quality and safety, and package reuse and recycling. This requires the development and/or integration of new or existing technologies such as intelligent food packages or wireless sensor networks to improve monitoring capabilities during logistics and sales and consumption, allow interaction with consumers, and improve the reuse or recycling of food packages. In this review paper, an extensive overview is provided of computer systems that are used in the logistics and post-logistics phase of a food package's life cycle and that to a certain extent integrate the aforementioned technologies. These systems offer the perspective to improve the efficiency of logistics operations on food packages to reduce food loss, better inform consumers through food packages, and support package reuse and recycling. The main purpose of this review paper is to encourage the academia and engineers to tackle existing research challenges and resolve technical issues related to the development of new integrated computer systems.