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Intelligent Biopolymer-Based Films: Promising New Solutions for Food Packaging Applications
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This review examines next-generation biopolymer films embedded with smart indicators—such as pH-sensitive dyes, gas sensors, and antimicrobial agents—that can actively monitor food freshness and extend shelf life. These intelligent packaging materials offer a biodegradable alternative to conventional petroleum-based plastics while adding functional value through real-time spoilage detection. The authors assess current material performance, scalability challenges, and the regulatory landscape for commercial adoption.
The development of biopolymer-based films represents a promising direction in the packaging industry that responds to stringent needs for sustainability, reducing the ecological impact. Traditional fossil-derived polymers present major concerns because of their long decomposition time and their significant contribution to the pollution of the environment. On the contrary, biopolymers such as chitosan, PVA, and PLA offer viable alternatives. This study aimed to obtain an innovative pH indicator for smart packaging using a synthetic non-toxic anthocyanin analogue dye incorporated in bio-based films to indicate meat freshness and quality. The pH-responsive color-changing properties of the dye make it suitable for developing intelligent films to monitor food freshness. The obtained polymeric films were characterized by FT-IR and UV-VIS spectroscopy, and their thermal properties were assessed using thermogravimetric methods. Moisture content, swelling capacity, and water solubility of the polymeric films were also evaluated. The sensitivity of the biopolymer-flavylium composite films to pH variations was studied in the pH range of 2 to 12 and noticeable color variations were observed, allowing the monitoring of the meat's quality damage through pH changes. The pH-responsive films were applied directly on the surface or in the proximity of pork and chicken meat samples, to evaluate their colorimetric response to fresh and spoilt meat. This study can be the starting point for creating more durable packaging solutions leading to a circular economy.
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pH-Responsive Chitosan Films Enriched with NADES-Extracted Wine Lees Anthocyanins for In Situ Food Monitoring
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This study developed biodegradable pH-responsive chitosan films enriched with anthocyanins extracted from wine lees using Natural Deep Eutectic Solvents (NADES) as a sustainable alternative to plastic food packaging with real-time freshness monitoring capability. The optimal choline chloride:butylene glycol NADES achieved high anthocyanin recovery, and the resulting films exhibited an excellent colorimetric response to pH (ΔE > 6.8 at all tested values), near-zero UV permeability, and a ΔE of 15.3 when applied to detect pork meat freshness.
Advancements in Chitosan–Anthocyanin Composite Films: Sustainable Food Preservation with Biodegradable Packaging
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This review covers recent progress in developing biodegradable food packaging made from chitosan (derived from shellfish) combined with anthocyanins (plant pigments), which can preserve food freshness while avoiding the microplastic contamination associated with traditional plastic packaging. These films have antibacterial and antioxidant properties and can even change color to indicate food spoilage, offering a promising alternative to single-use plastics.
Research progress on plant polysaccharide-based intelligent-responsive films: Substrates, forming mechanisms, preparation methods, response types, and applications in food preservation
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Scientists are developing plant-based "smart" food wraps that change color to warn you when meat, seafood, or produce is starting to spoil—no more guessing if food is still safe to eat. Made from plant starches and fibers instead of petroleum-based plastics, these films could help cut down on both food waste and microplastic pollution that ends up in our food and bodies. This review paper summarizes the current science on how these films are made and used, while noting that researchers still need to improve their durability and lower production costs before they show up on store shelves.
From traditional packaging to smart bio-packaging for food safety: a review
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This review surveys advances in biodegradable food packaging films from natural materials, examining how active and intelligent packaging integrates sensors to monitor food quality. The study highlights how these technologies reduce plastic pollution risks while providing real-time freshness indicators for consumers.
FLOVERA: Smart and Sustainable Edible Packaging Innovation for Environmental Responsibility
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Researchers developed an edible rice paper packaging film from cassava leaf fibers infused with pH-responsive butterfly pea flower anthocyanins, which changes color to signal food spoilage while offering mechanical strength and rapid biodegradability. This bio-based smart packaging represents a viable plastic substitute that could reduce the synthetic polymer waste fragmenting into microplastics in food packaging waste streams.
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