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Synergistic effects of anthocyanins and essential oils in biopolymer based active and intelligent food packaging for sustainable applications
Summary
Scientists are developing smart food packaging made from plant-based materials instead of plastic, combining natural pigments (from fruits and veggies) with essential oils to keep food fresher longer while also changing color to warn you if food has spoiled. This review paper summarizes existing research showing these plant-based films fight bacteria and spoilage better when the two ingredients are combined, offering a promising eco-friendly alternative to plastic packaging that could reduce both food waste and plastic pollution.
In recent years, research has increasingly focused on developing innovative strategies to address the issues of plastic pollution and food waste, particularly through the design of active and intelligent food packaging films. Anthocyanins, natural pigments primarily derived from plants, possess remarkable chemical properties that make them excellent pH indicators through visible color changes. Beyond their sensing function, they can also contribute to enhancing the physical and functional properties of packaging films. On the other hand, essential oils, volatile liquids extracted from aromatic plants, are well known for their strong antimicrobial and antioxidant activities. Growing attention has thus been paid to the development of active and intelligent films based on the combined incorporation of anthocyanins and essential oils. This synergistic association significantly improves not only the antioxidant activity, but more importantly the antimicrobial effectiveness of the films. This review highlights recent advances in the co-incorporation of anthocyanins and essential oils into biopolymer matrices, with a particular emphasis on structural characterization (FTIR, XRD, SEM), physical, mechanical, and thermal properties, as well as barrier performance, including water vapor transmission behavior. Importantly, this work represents the first comprehensive review to systematically compile and critically discuss studies focusing on the combined use of anthocyanins and essential oils in biopolymer-based films, and their potential applications in diverse food categories such as meat and seafood, dairy products, and fruits and vegetables.