Food packaging needs to be more functional.  New solutions are becoming available, containing active substances interacting with the packaged product or containing internal/external devices able to interact with the users. These innovative solutions, known as active and smart packaging, aim at making our food chains more transparent, and improve quality and shelf life. This session will highlight research on how to extend food shelf-life through active packaging,  for example, by preventing the causes of deteriorations, and to inform about the history or freshness of the product.  Further it will highlight any technological advancement  that may play an  important role in the field of active packaging in the upcoming years.