Self-heating food packaging
Self-heating food packaging is active packaging with the ability to heat food contents without external heat sources or power. Packets typically use an exothermic chemical reaction. Packets can also be self-cooling. These packages are useful for military operations, during natural disasters, or whenever conventional cooking is not available. These packages are often used to prepare main courses such as meat dishes, which are more palatable when hot.Chemistry
Commercial heat sources for self-heating food packaging use an exothermic reaction, for which there are several common formulations. These include:
Some newer formulations use a Thermite-like reaction between a more reactive metal powder such as aluminum or magnesium, with a less reactive metal oxide such as iron oxide or silicon dioxide
