Almost 795 million people go without proper nourishment everyday globally. That means 1 out every 9 people on earth don't have enough to eat.

But before we tackle this problem and actively think of food security, we have to combat food waste at the individual level. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations has estimated at least a third of all food produced is wasted.

The Environmental Protection Agency declared earlier this year how all this wastage is fast becoming a serious environmental issue thanks to greenhouse gas emissions. A comprehensive approach is needed to deal with this threat to the planet, starting with the shelf life of the food itself.

Efforts to improve extend the freshness of food have been underway for years, as scientists worked hard to develop what they call a "green" plastic that will extend the shelf life of the food and also provide an accurate timeline for all perishables.

In America alone, 26 percent of produce is thrown away even before it reaches grocery stores, while 40 percent of food bought is thrown away by households. In most developed countries, food sold in retail outlets is stamped with inaccurate "best before" dates that confuse both the consumers and the retailers.

Plant-based bioplastic packaging will prevent this syndrome and stop people from throwing away perfectly edible food. An EU project focusing on this area was launched four years ago and is now all set for real-life application.

Packaging that is made out of bio-based polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polyactic acid (PLA) will enhance the shelf life of food and preserve nutrients better. It will also have embedded sensors that will notify retailers and consumers if the food is no longer fit to eat.

Unlike standard plastic packaging, it will block the entry of air that restricts shelf life through improved oxygen barriers. Nanoparticle components added to the biopolymers have enhanced food preservation properties and actively protect the contents from their surroundings. The project, conducted by Scandinavia's largest independent research organization, SINTEF, was just given the green light to move forward by the European Union.

One of the first things this bioplastic packaging will help in is eliminate the need for environment-harming plastic. It will save money, cut waste and greatly reduce our carbon footprint. Among the four chief prototypes developed by SINTEF and it research partners are a blow-molded bottle and a pot designed specifically for seafood — both of which have an oxygen-proof exterior coating.

Then, there is the three-layer coating consisting of cellulose-based film between two biodegradable biopolymers that can be used as food bowls. Finally, there is the blow-molded film that can work as a high-end solution to the existing plastic foils.

The embedded sensors are sensitive to small changes. They will convey immediate signals if the temperature of a product goes too high for safe consumption, and the packaging itself will change color when the substances are released. Signals will also be emitted if a product has soured or the pH levels are off.

Of course, how these sensors are to be incorporated into the product is yet to be determined and is probably a decision left to the manufacturers. Those that come in contact with food will have to be approved by specific food hygiene authorities.

But these are details that can be ironed out, because this new, revolutionary technology is here to stay and is going to provide much-needed relief for a planet that is reeling from all the food waste and its associated carbon emissions.