Trends and applications of intelligent packaging in dairy products: a review

Immobilization of laccase on sodium alginate/soluble starch microcapsules to develop a time-temperature indicator for freshness monitoring of Agaricus bisporus

To monitor temperature fluctuation in the process of food storage and transportation and to meet the consumers' requirements for product quality and safety, a time-temperature indicator (TTI) gel was developed for monitoring the freshness of Agaricus bisporus by immobilizing laccase on sodium alginate (SA)/soluble starch microcapsules with laccase microspheres as reactant, guaiacol as substrate and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)/sodium carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) as the base material. The prepared microcapsules have 50-90 nm pores, which can effectively make the enzyme and the reaction substrate enter into them, and the immobilization rate of laccase is over 90 %, and the specific activity of immobilized laccase is about 82 % of that of free laccase. 11 TTIs were selected for kinetic analysis and the activation energy of the TTIs was calculated to be from 27.32 to 61.13 kJ/mol which was similar to that of meat, milk and mushroom. Meanwhile, the kinetic analysis was fitted with the brightness value L⁎ of Agaricus bisporus and four TTIs closest to the activation energy of Agaricus bisporus were re-prepared, and verified at 4 °C,15 °C, 25 °C and variable temperature. The results showed that TTI#1 could successfully monitor the freshness of Agaricus bisporus.

Smart conducting polymer innovations for sustainable and safe food packaging technologies

Biofilm formation on food packaging surfaces is a major issue in the industry, as it leads to contamination, reduces shelf life, and poses risks to human health. To mitigate these effects, developing smart coatings that can actively sense and combat microbial growth has become a critical research focus. This study is motivated by the need for intelligent packaging solutions that integrate antimicrobial agents and sensors for real-time contamination detection. It is hypothesized that combining conducting polymers (CPs) with nanomaterials can enhance antimicrobial efficacy while maintaining the mechanical integrity and environmental stability required for food packaging applications. Through the application of numerous technologies like surface modification, CP-nanoparticle integration, and multilayered coating, the antimicrobial performance and sensor capabilities of these materials were analyzed. Case studies showed a 90% inhibition of bacterial growth and a tenfold decrease in viable bacterial counts with AgNPs incorporation, extending strawberries' shelf life by 40% and maintaining fish freshness for an additional 5 days. Moreover, multilayered CP coatings in complex systems have been shown to reduce oxidative spoilage in nuts and dried fruits by up to 85%, while maintaining the quality of leafy greens for up to 3 weeks under suboptimal conditions. Environmental assessments indicated a 30% reduction in carbon footprint when CP coatings were combined with biodegradable polymers, contributing to a more transparent and reliable food supply chain. CP-based films integrated with intelligent sensors exhibit high sensitivity, detecting ammonia concentrations below 500 ppb, and offer significant selectivity for sensing hazardous gases. These findings indicate that CP-based smart coatings markedly enhance food safety and sustainability in packaging applications.

Progress on molecular modification and functional applications of anthocyanins

Anthocyanins have attracted a lot of attention in the fields of natural pigments, food packaging, and functional foods due to their color, antioxidant, and nutraceutical properties. However, the poor chemical stability and low bioavailability of anthocyanins currently limit their application in the food industry. Various methods can be used to modify the structure of anthocyanins and thus improve their stability and bioavailability characteristics under food processing, storage, and gastrointestinal conditions. This paper aims to review in vitro modification methods for altering the molecular structure of anthocyanins, as well as their resulting improved properties such as color, stability, solubility, and antioxidant properties, and functional applications as pigments, sensors and functional foods. In industrial production, by mixing co-pigments with anthocyanins in food systems, the color and stability of anthocyanins can be improved by using non-covalent co-pigmentation. By acylation of fatty acids and aromatic acids with anthocyanins before incorporation into food systems, the surface activity of anthocyanins can be activated and their antioxidant and bioactivity can be improved. Various other chemical modification methods, such as methylation, glycosylation, and the formation of pyranoanthocyanins, can also be utilized to tailor the molecular properties of anthocyanins expanding their range of applications in the food industry.

Critical review and recent advances of emerging real-time and non-destructive strategies for meat spoilage monitoring

Monitoring and evaluating food quality, especially meat quality, has received a growing interest to ensure human health and decrease waste of raw materials. Standard analytical approaches used for meat spoilage assessment suffer from time consumption, being labor-intensive, operation complexity, and destructiveness. To overcome shortfalls of these traditional methods and monitor spoilage microorganisms or related metabolites of meat products across the supply chain, emerging analysis devices/systems with higher sensitivity, better portability, on-line/in-line, non-destructive and cost-effective property are urgently needed. Herein, we first overview the basic concepts, causes, and critical monitoring indicators associated with meat spoilage. Then, the conventional detection methods for meat spoilage are outlined objectively in their strengths and weaknesses. In addition, we place the focus on the recent research advances of emerging non-destructive devices and systems for assessing meat spoilage. These novel strategies demonstrate their powerful potential in the real-time evaluation of meat spoilage.

Intelligent food packaging for smart sensing of food safety

In this contemporary era, with over 8 billion people worldwide, ensuring food safety has become more critical than ever. To address this concern, the introduction of intelligent packaging marks a significant breakthrough. Essentially, this innovation tackles the challenge of rapid deterioration in perishable foods, which is vital to the well-being of communities and food safety. Unlike traditional methods that primarily emphasize shelf-life extension, intelligent packaging goes further by incorporating advanced sensing technologies to detect signs of spoilage and contamination in real-time, such as changes in temperature, oxygen levels, carbon dioxide levels, humidity, and the presence of harmful microorganisms. The innovation can rely on various packaging materials like plastics, metals, papers, or biodegradable polymers, combined with sophisticated sensing techniques such as colorimetric sensors, time-temperature indicators, radio-frequency identification tags, electronic noses, or biosensors. Together, these elements form a dynamic and tailored packaging system. This system not only protects food from spoilage but also offers stakeholders immediate and adequate information about food quality. Moreover, the real-world application on seafood, meat, dairy, fruits, and vegetables demonstrates the feasibility of using intelligent packaging to significantly enhance the safety and shelf life of a wide variety of perishable goods. By adopting intelligent packaging for smart sensing solutions, both the food industry and consumers can significantly reduce health risks linked with contamination and reduce unnecessary food waste. This underscores the crucial role of intelligent packaging in modern food safety and distribution systems, showcasing an effective fusion of technology, safety, and sustainability efforts aimed at nourishing a rapidly growing global population.

Sustainable packaging materials for fermented probiotic dairy or non-dairy food and beverage products: challenges and innovations

The food and beverage packaging industry has experienced remarkable growth in recent years. Particularly the requirement for appropriate packaging materials used for the sale of fermented products is boosted due to the rising acceptance of economical functional foods available to consumers on the shelves of their local supermarkets. The most popular nutraceutical foods with increased sales include natural yogurts, probiotic-rich milk, kefir, and other fermented food and beverage products. These items have mainly been produced from dairy-based or non-dairy raw materials to provide several product options for most consumers, including vegan and lactose-intolerant populations. Therefore, there is a need for an evaluation of the potential developments and prospects that characterize the growth of the food packaging industry in the global market. The article is based on a review of information from published research, encompassing current trends, emerging technologies, challenges, innovations, and sustainability initiatives for food industry packaging.

Developing active and intelligent biodegradable packaging from food waste and byproducts: A review of sources, properties, film production methods, and their application in food preservation

Food waste and byproducts (FWBP) are a global issue impacting economies, resources, and health. Recycling and utilizing these wastes, due to processing and economic constraints, face various challenges. However, valuable components in food waste inspire efficient solutions like active intelligent packaging. Though research on this is booming, its material selectivity, effectiveness, and commercial viability require further analysis. This paper categorizes FWBP and explores their potential for producing packaging from both animal and plant perspectives. In addition, the preparation/fabrication methods of these films/coatings have also been summarized comprehensively, focusing on the advantages and disadvantages of these methods and their commercial adaptability. Finally, the functions of these films/coatings and their ultimate performance in protecting food (meat, dairy products, fruits, and vegetables) are also reviewed systematically. FWBP provide a variety of methods for the application of edible films, including being made into coatings, films, and fibers for food preservation, or extracting active substances directly or indirectly from them (in the form of encapsulation) and adding them to packaging to endow them with functions such as barrier, antibacterial, antioxidant, and pH response. In addition, the casting method is the most commonly used method for producing edible films, but more film production methods (extrusion, electrospinning, 3D printing) need to be tried to make up for the shortcomings of the current methods. Finally, researchers need to conduct more in-depth research on various active compounds from FWBP to achieve better application effects and commercial adaptability.

Ammonia-responsive chitosan/polymethacrylamide double network hydrogels with high-stretchability, fatigue resistance and anti-freezing for real-time chicken breast spoilage monitoring

Hydrogels are a promising option for detecting food spoilage in humid conditions, but current indicators are prone to mechanical flaws, posing a concern for packaging systems that require strong mechanical properties. Herein, a double network hydrogel was prepared by polymerizing methacrylamide in a chitosan system with aluminum chloride and glycerol. The resulting hydrogel demonstrated high stretchability (strain >1500 %), notch insensitivity, excellent fatigue resistance, and exceptional anti-freezing capabilities even at -21 °C. When incorporating bromothymol blue (BB) or methyl red (MR), or mixtures of these dyes into the hydrogels as indicators, they exhibited sensitive colorimetric responses to pH and NH3 levels at different temperatures. Hydrogels immobilizing BB to MR ratios of 1:1 and 1:2 displayed clearer and more sensitive color responses when packed into chicken breast, with a sensitivity level of 1.5 ppm of total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N). This color response correlated positively with the accumulation of TVB-N on the packaging during storage at both 25 °C and 4 °C, providing sensitive indications of chicken breast deterioration. Overall, the developed hydrogels and indicators demonstrate enhanced performance characteristics, including excellent mechanical strength and highly NH3-sensitive color responses, making significant contributions to the food spoilage detection and intelligent packaging systems field.

In-plane oxygen diffusion measurements in polymer films using time-resolved imaging of programmable luminescent tags

Oxygen diffusion properties in thin polymer films are key parameters in industrial applications from food packaging, over medical encapsulation to organic semiconductor devices and have been continuously investigated in recent decades. The established methods have in common that they require complex pressure-sensitive setups or vacuum technology and usually do not come without surface effects. In contrast, this work provides a low-cost, precise and reliable method to determine the oxygen diffusion coefficient D in bulk polymer films based on tracking the phosphorescent pattern of a programmable luminescent tag over time. Our method exploits two-dimensional image analysis of oxygen-quenched organic room-temperature phosphors in a host polymer with high spatial accuracy. It avoids interface effects and accounts for the photoconsumption of oxygen. As a role model, the diffusion coefficients of polystyrene glasses with molecular weights between 13k and 350k g/mol are determined to be in the range of (0.8-1.5) × 10-7 cm2/s, which is in good agreement with previously reported values. We finally demonstrate the reduction of the oxygen diffusion coefficient in polystyrene by one quarter upon annealing above its glass transition temperature.

Applications of Gas Sensing in Food Quality Detection: A Review

Food products often face the risk of spoilage during processing, storage, and transportation, necessitating the use of rapid and effective technologies for quality assessment. In recent years, gas sensors have gained prominence for their ability to swiftly and sensitively detect gases, making them valuable tools for food quality evaluation. The various gas sensor types, such as metal oxide (MOX), metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) gas sensors, surface acoustic wave (SAW) sensors, colorimetric sensors, and electrochemical sensors, each offer distinct advantages. They hold significant potential for practical applications in food quality monitoring. This review comprehensively covers the progress in gas sensor technology for food quality assessment, outlining their advantages, features, and principles. It also summarizes their applications in detecting volatile gases during the deterioration of aquatic products, meat products, fruit, and vegetables over the past decade. Furthermore, the integration of data analytics and artificial intelligence into gas sensor arrays is discussed, enhancing their adaptability and reliability in diverse food environments and improving food quality assessment efficiency. In conclusion, this paper addresses the multifaceted challenges faced by rapid gas sensor-based food quality detection technologies and suggests potential interdisciplinary solutions and directions.

Oxidases as Oxygen Scavengers in Hypoxic Conditions: A Kinetic Model

A simple kinetic model allowed for the description of the observed decay of the oxygen content in hypoxic aqueous samples with and without headspace, in the presence of glucose oxidase (Glucox) or laccase and their substrates (glucose for Glucox and ABTS for Laccase). The experimental tests involved both the direct measurement of the oxygen content with a fluorescence-based probe and the indirect stopped-flow spectroscopic detection of colored compounds generated from suitable chromogenic reagents. The complete depletion of dissolved oxygen occurred in the no-headspace samples, whereas some residual oxygen remained in a steady state in the samples with headspace. Simple pseudo-first-order kinetics was adequate to describe the behavior of the system, as long as oxygen was the rate-limiting compound, i.e., in the presence of excess substrates. The values of the kinetic constants drawn from best-fit routines of the data from both experimental approaches were quite comparable. The oxygen residues in the samples with headspace seemed related to the low solubility of O₂ in the aqueous phase, especially if compared with the large amount of oxygen in the headspace. The extent of such residue decreased by increasing the concentration of the enzyme. The kinetic model proposed in this paper can be of help in assembling suitable sensors to be used for food safety and quality control.

Alizarin: Prospects and sustainability for food safety and quality monitoring applications

Active and intelligent food packaging has emerged to ensure food safety, quality, or spoilage monitoring and extend the shelf life of food. The development of intelligent packaging has accelerated significantly in recent years with a focus on monitoring changes in the quality of packaged products in real-time throughout the food supply chain. As one of the popular natural colorants, alizarin has attracted much consideration due to its excellent functional properties and quality to color change under varying pH. Alizarin is an efficient and cost-effective biomaterial with numerous biological features such as antioxidant, antibacterial, non-cytotoxic, and antitumor. This review focuses on an in-depth summary and prospects for alizarin as a natural and safe colorant that has the potential to be incorporated into intelligent packaging to track the freshness of packaged foodstuffs. The use of alizarin as an intelligent packaging agent shows huge potential for the application of food packaging and brings it one step closer to real-time monitoring of food quality throughout the supply chain. Finally, various limitations and future requirements are discussed to underscore the importance of developing alizarin-based intelligent functional food packaging systems.

Innovative processes in smart packaging. A systematic review

Smart packaging provides one possible solution that could reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In comparison with traditional packaging, which aims to extend the product's useful life and to facilitate transport and marketing, smart packaging allows increased efficiency, for example by ensuring authenticity and traceability from the product's origin, preventing fraud and theft, and improving security. Consequently, it may help to reduce pollution, food losses, and waste associated with the food supply chain. However, some questions must be answered to fully understand the advantages and limitations of its use. What are the most suitable smart packaging technologies for use in agro-industrial subsectors such as meat, dairy, fruits, and vegetables, bakery, and pastry? What are the opportunities from a perspective of life extension, process optimization, traceability, product quality, and safety? What are the future challenges? An up-to-date, systematic review was conducted of literature relevant to the application of indicator technologies, sensors, and data carriers in smart packaging, to answer these questions. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.

A data-driven decision support system with smart packaging in grocery store supply chains during outbreaks

The unexpected emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic has changed how grocery shopping is done. The grocery retail stores need to ensure hygiene, quality, and safety concerns in-store shopping by providing "no-touch" smart packaging solutions for agri-food products. The benefit of smart packaging is to inform consumers about the freshness level of a packaged product without having direct contact. This paper proposes a data-driven decision support system that uses smart packaging as a smart product-service system to manage the sustainable grocery store supply chain during outbreaks to prevent food waste. The proposed model dynamically updates the price of a packaged perishable product depending on freshness level while reducing food waste and the number of rejected customers and maximising profit by increasing the inventory turnover rate of grocery stores. The model was tested on a hypothetical but realistic case study of a single product. The results of this study showed that stock capacities, freshness discount rate, freshness period, and quantity discounts significantly affect the performance of a grocery store supply chain during outbreaks.

Application of Biosensors, Sensors, and Tags in Intelligent Packaging Used for Food Products-A Review

The current development of science and the contemporary market, combined with high demands from consumers, force manufacturers and scientists to implement new solutions in various industries, including the packaging industry. The emergence of new solutions in the field of intelligent packaging has provided an opportunity to extend the quality of food products and ensures that food will not cause any harm to the consumer's health. Due to physical, chemical, or biological factors, the state of food may be subject to degradation. The degradation may occur because the packaging, i.e., the protective element of food products, may be damaged during storage, transport, or other logistic and sales activities. This is especially important since most food products are highly perishable, and the maintenance of the quality of a food product is the most critical issue in the entire supply chain. Given the importance of the topic, the main purpose of this article was to provide a general overview of the application of biosensors, sensors, and tags in intelligent packaging used for food products. A short history and the genesis of intelligent packaging are presented, and the individual possibilities of application of sensors, biosensors, gas sensors, and RFID tags, as well as nanotechnology, in the area of the packaging of food products are characterized.

Electrospun nanofibers fabricated by natural biopolymers for intelligent food packaging

An "intelligent" or smart packaging is able to continuously monitor physicochemical and/or biological variations of packaged food materials, providing real-time information concerning their quality, maturity, and safety. Electrospun nanofiber (ENF) structures, nowadays, reckon as versatile biomaterial platforms in designing intelligent packaging (IP) systems. Natural biopolymer-based ENF traits, for example, surface chemistry, rate of degradation, fiber diameter, and degree of alignment, facilitate the development of unique, tunable IP, enhancing food quality, and safety. In this review, after a brief overview of the electrospinning process, we review food IP systems, which can be utilized to detect variations in food features, for example, those based on alterations in temperature, O2 level, time, humidity, pH, or microbial contamination. Different intelligent approaches that are applicable in engineering IP materials are then highlighted, that is, indicators, data carriers, and sensors. The latest research on the application of ENFs made with natural biopolymers in food IP and their performance on different packaged food types (i.e. meat, fruits and vegetables, dairy products, etc.) are underlined. Finally, the challenges and outlook of these systems in the food industry are discussed.

New perspectives on electrospun nanofiber applications in smart and active food packaging materials

Packaging plays a critical role in determining the quality, safety, and shelf-life of many food products. There have been several innovations in the development of more effective food packaging materials recently. Polymer nanofibers are finding increasing attention as additives in packaging materials because of their ability to control their pore size, surface energy, barrier properties, antimicrobial activity, and mechanical strength. Electrospinning is a widely used processing method for fabricating nanofibers from food grade polymers. This review describes recent advances in the development of electrospun nanofibers for application in active and smart packaging materials. Moreover, it highlights the impact of these nanofibers on the physicochemical properties of packaging materials, as well as the application of nanofiber-loaded packaging materials to foods, such as dairy, meat, fruit, and vegetable products.

Nature's palette: An emerging frontier for coloring dairy products

Consumers all across the world are looking for the most delectable and appealing foods, while also demanding products that are safer, more nutritious, and healthier. Substitution of synthetic colorants with natural colorants has piqued consumer and market interest in recent years. Due to increasing demand, extensive research has been conducted to find natural and safe food additives, such as natural pigments, that may have health benefits. Natural colorants are made up of a variety of pigments, many of which have significant biological potential. Because of the promising health advantages, natural colorants are gaining immense interest in the dairy industry. This review goes over the use of various natural colorants in dairy products which can provide desirable color as well as positive health impacts. The purpose of this review is to provide an in-depth look into the field of food (natural or synthetic) colorants applied in dairy products as well as their potential health benefits, safety, general trends, and future prospects  in food science and technology. In this paper, we listed a plethora of applications of natural colorants in various milk-based products.

Emerging Approach for Fish Freshness Evaluation: Principle, Application and Challenges

Affected by micro-organisms and endogenous enzymes, fish are highly perishable during storage, processing and transportation. Efficient evaluation of fish freshness to ensure consumer safety and reduce raw material losses has received an increasing amount of attention. Several of the conventional freshness assessment techniques have plenty of shortcomings, such as being destructive, time-consuming and laborious. Recently, various sensors and spectroscopic techniques have shown great potential due to rapid analysis, low sample preparation and cost-effectiveness, and some methods are especially non-destructive and suitable for online or large-scale operations. Non-destructive techniques typically respond to characteristic substances produced by fish during spoilage without destroying the sample. In this review, we summarize, in detail, the principles and applications of emerging approaches for assessing fish freshness including visual indicators derived from intelligent packaging, active sensors, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and optical spectroscopic techniques. Recent developments in emerging technologies have demonstrated their advantages in detecting fish freshness, but some challenges remain in popularization, optimizing sensor selectivity and sensitivity, and the development of algorithms and chemometrics in spectroscopic techniques.

Active/intelligent packaging films developed by immobilizing anthocyanins from purple sweetpotato and purple cabbage in locust bean gum, chitosan and κ-carrageenan-based matrices

Active/intelligent packaging films were developed by incorporating purple sweetpotato anthocyanins (PSA) and purple cabbage anthocyanins (PCA) in locust bean gum/polyvinyl alcohol (LP), chitosan/polyvinyl alcohol (CP) and κ-carrageenan/polyvinyl alcohol (KP) film matrices. The joint effect of anthocyanins' source and polysaccharides' nature on the structure and functionality of the films was determined. Results showed PSA and PCA interacted with film matrices through hydrogen bonds and/or electrostatic interactions, resulting in improved film uniformity. PSA and PCA did not remarkably alter the water vapor permeability and tensile strength of the films; however, significantly improved the light barrier ability, antioxidant activity, pH-sensitivity and ammonia-sensitivity of films. For the films containing the same anthocyanins (PSA or PCA), LP-based films had relatively higher light barrier ability and storage stability, while CP-based had relatively weaker color changeable ability. When PSA and PCA were immobilized in the same film matrix, the films containing PCA had higher light barrier ability and antioxidant activity than the films containing PSA. Among the films, LP-PCA film exhibited a good potential to monitor the freshness of shrimp. Results suggested the structure and functionality of the films were influenced by the source of anthocyanins and the nature of polysaccharides.

Protein-based natural antibacterial materials and their applications in food preservation

Plastics materials used for food packaging are recalcitrant, leading to a growing global environmental problem, which arouses the attention of environmental protection departments in many countries. Therefore, to meet the increasing demand for sustainable and environment-friendly consumer products, it is necessary for the food industry to develop natural antibacterial materials for food preservation. This review summarizes the common biodegradable natural antimicrobial agents and their applications in food preservation; as well as an overview of five commonly used biodegradable protein-based polymers, such as zein, soy protein isolate, gelatin and whey protein, with special emphasis on the advantages of protein-based biopolymers and their applications in food packaging industry.

A review on colorimetric indicators for monitoring product freshness in intelligent food packaging: Indicator dyes, preparation methods, and applications

Intelligent food packaging system exhibits enhanced communication function by providing dynamic product information to various stakeholders (e.g., consumers, retailers, distributors) in the supply chain. One example of intelligent packaging involves the use of colorimetric indicators, which when subjected to external stimuli (e.g., moisture, gas/vapor, electromagnetic radiation, temperature), display discernable color changes that can be correlated with real-time changes in product quality. This type of interactive packaging system allows continuous monitoring of product freshness during transportation, distribution, storage, and marketing phases. This review summarizes the colorimetric indicator technologies for intelligent packaging systems, emphasizing on the types of indicator dyes, preparation methods, applications in different food products, and future considerations. Both food and nonfood indicator materials integrated into various carriers (e.g., paper-based substrates, polymer films, electrospun fibers, and nanoparticles) with material properties optimized for specific applications are discussed, targeting perishable products, such as fresh meat and fishery products. Colorimetric indicators can supplement the traditional "Best Before" date label by providing real-time product quality information to the consumers and retailers, thereby not only ensuring product safety, but also promising in reducing food waste. Successful scale-up of these intelligent packaging technologies to the industrial level must consider issues related to regulatory approval, consumer acceptance, cost-effectiveness, and product compatibility.

Sources, purification, immobilization and industrial applications of microbial lipases: An overview

Microbial lipase is looking for better attention with the fast growth of enzyme proficiency and other benefits like easy, cost-effective, and reliable manufacturing. Immobilized enzymes can be used repetitively and are incapable to catalyze the reactions in the system continuously. Hydrophobic supports are utilized to immobilize enzymes when the ionic strength is low. This approach allows for the immobilization, purification, stability, and hyperactivation of lipases in a single step. The diffusion of the substrate is more advantageous on hydrophobic supports than on hydrophilic supports in the carrier. These approaches are critical to the immobilization performance of the enzyme. For enzyme immobilization, synthesis provides a higher pH value as well as greater heat stability. Using a mixture of immobilization methods, the binding force between enzymes and the support rises, reducing enzyme leakage. Lipase adsorption produces interfacial activation when it is immobilized on hydrophobic support. As a result, in the immobilization process, this procedure is primarily used for a variety of industrial applications. Microbial sources, immobilization techniques, and industrial applications in the fields of food, flavor, detergent, paper and pulp, pharmaceuticals, biodiesel, derivatives of esters and amino groups, agrochemicals, biosensor applications, cosmetics, perfumery, and bioremediation are all discussed in this review.

Nanocarriers for Sustainable Active Packaging: An Overview during and Post COVID-19

Lockdown has been installed due to the fast spread of COVID-19, and several challenges have occurred. Active packaging was considered a sustainable option for mitigating risks to food systems during COVID-19. Biopolymeric-based active packaging incorporating the release of active compounds with antimicrobial and antioxidant activity represents an innovative solution for increasing shelf life and maintaining food quality during transportation from producers to consumers. However, food packaging requires certain physical, chemical, and mechanical performances, which biopolymers such as proteins, polysaccharides, and lipids have not satisfied. In addition, active compounds have low stability and can easily burst when added directly into biopolymeric materials. Due to these drawbacks, encapsulation into lipid-based, polymeric-based, and nanoclay-based nanocarriers has currently captured increased interest. Nanocarriers can protect and control the release of active compounds and can enhance the performance of biopolymeric matrices. The aim of this manuscript is to provide an overview regarding the benefits of released active compound-loaded nanocarriers in developing sustainable biopolymeric-based active packaging with antimicrobial and antioxidant properties. Nanocarriers improve physical, chemical, and mechanical properties of the biopolymeric matrix and increase the bioactivity of released active compounds. Furthermore, challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic and a brief post-COVID-19 scenario were also mentioned.

Informative and corrective responsive packaging: Advances in farm-to-fork monitoring and remediation of food quality and safety

Microbial growth and fluctuations in environmental conditions have been shown to cause microbial contamination and deterioration of food. Thus, it is paramount to develop reliable strategies to effectively prevent the sale and consumption of contaminated or spoiled food. Responsive packaging systems are designed to react to specific stimuli in the food or environment, such as microorganisms or temperature, then implement an informational or corrective response. Informative responsive packaging is aimed at continuously monitoring the changes in food or environmental conditions and conveys this information to the users in real time. Meanwhile, packaging systems with the capacity to control contamination or deterioration are also of great interest. Encouragingly, corrective responsive packaging attempting to mitigate the adverse effects of condition fluctuations on food has been investigated. This packaging exerts its effects through the triggered release of active agents by environmental stimuli. In this review, informative and corrective responsive packaging is conceptualized clearly and concisely. The mechanism and characteristics of each type of packaging are discussed in depth. This review also summarized the latest research progress of responsive packaging and objectively appraised their advantages. Evidently, the mechanism through which packaging systems respond to microbial contamination and associated environmental factors was also highlighted. Moreover, risk concerns, related legislation, and consumer perspective in the application of responsive packaging are discussed as well. Broadly, this comprehensive review covering the latest information on responsive packaging aims to provide a timely reference for scientific research and offer guidance for presenting their applications in food industry.

Intelligent Packaging for Real-Time Monitoring of Food-Quality: Current and Future Developments

Food packaging encompasses the topical role of preserving food, hence, extending the shelf-life, while ensuring the highest quality and safety along the production chain as well as during storage. Intelligent food packaging further develops the functions of traditional packages by introducing the capability of continuously monitoring food quality during the whole chain to assess and reduce the insurgence of food-borne disease and food waste. To this purpose, several sensing systems based on different food quality indicators have been proposed in recent years, but commercial applications remain a challenge. This review provides a critical summary of responsive systems employed in the real-time monitoring of food quality and preservation state. First, food quality indicators are briefly presented, and subsequently, their exploitation to fabricate intelligent packaging based on responsive materials is discussed. Finally, current challenges and future trends are reviewed to highlight the importance of concentrating efforts on developing new functional solutions.

Antibacterial Activity of Polyvinyl Alcohol/WO3 Films Assisted by Near-Infrared Light and Its Application in Freshness Monitoring

Nowadays, films with antibacterial activity and applied for freshness monitoring by colorimetric response have been drawing growing attention in food packaging. However, the development of versatile antibacterial and colorimetric agents is still highly desirable. Herein, WO₃ nanorods are incorporated in a polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) matrix to develop a novel composite film with photothermal antibacterial activity and freshness monitoring faculty. The interaction between WO₃ nanorods and PVA is due to hydrogen bonds. Compared with the PVA film, the presence of WO₃ nanorods can significantly enhance the mechanical and barrier properties; typically, the target film (WO₃/PVA)₄ shows an increase in tensile strength by 52.7% and Young's modulus by 400.0% and a decrease in oxygen permeability by 72.4% and water vapor permeability by 66.9%. The films demonstrate a WO₃ content-dependent antibacterial activity. Under irradiation of near-infrared light (NIR808), the synergistic effect of physical damage, oxidative stress, and temperature increase markedly improves the antibacterial activity of (WO₃/PVA)₄, showing an antibacterial efficiency of ∼90% against Escherichia coli or beyond 90% against Staphylococcus aureus. The incorporated WO₃ nanorods demonstrate lower cytotoxicity toward the model cells of human colon cancer cell line HT-29. The (WO₃/PVA)₄ film exhibits colorimetric response to H₂S and can also be used for pork freshness monitoring as an indicator.