THE INCREASING VOLUME OF FOOD WASTED DUE TO SPOILAGE REPRESENTS AN EMERGING THREAT TO THE ECONOMIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY OF OUR FOOD SYSTEM. PRESERVATIVES ARE OFTEN ADDED TO FOODS TO RETAIN QUALITY, YET DEMANDS FOR REMOVING ADDITIVES IN FAVOR OF 'CLEANER LABELS' MAY RESULT IN AN UNINTENDED INCREASE IN FOOD WASTE. RECENT RESEARCH SHOWS THAT IT IS POSSIBLE TO INTRODUCE PRESERVATIVE FUNCTIONALITY INTO PACKAGING MATERIALS SUCH THAT SOME ADDITIVES CAN BE REMOVED WITHOUT CORRESPONDING LOSSES IN PRODUCT QUALITY. THESE ACTIVE PACKAGING MATERIALS ARE A PROMISING NEW TECHNOLOGY, YET THERE REMAIN TECHNOLOGICAL AND CONSUMER BEHAVIORAL HURDLES THAT HAVE PREVENTED THEIR SUCCESSFUL COMMERCIAL TRANSLATION. IN THIS INTEGRATED PROJECT, RESEARCH ACTIVITIES DOVETAIL WITH EXTENSION EFFORTS THROUGHOUT. WORKING WITH PARTNERS IN REGULATORY, POLYMER, PACKAGING, RETAIL, AND FOOD PROCESSING WILL IMPROVE THE CHANCE OF COMMERCIAL TRANSLATABILITY OF THE NEW ACTIVE PACKAGING TECHNOLOGY. USING BEHAVIORAL ECONOMICS AND PSYCHOLOGY TO UNDERSTAND WHAT FACTORS MOST INFLUENCE TECHNOLOGY ACCEPTANCE BY CONSUMERS WILL IMPROVE LIKELIHOOD OF ADOPTION OF NEW FOOD MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGIES. THE INVESTIGATORS COMBINE INDUSTRY EXPERIENCE, STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT, FOOD SCIENCE, PACKAGING, TOXICOLOGY, EXTENSION, AND BEHAVIORAL ECONOMICS. THIS PROJECT SUPPORTS PROGRAM AREA GOALS TO DEVELOP INNOVATIVE FOOD MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGIES TO MINIMIZE FOOD WASTE ... AND DEVELOP INNOVATIVE TOOLS TO ENHANCE CONSUMER AND PRODUCER UNDERSTANDING &AMP; ACCEPTANCE OF FOOD MANUFACTURING INNOVATIONS.