A mini-review on the role of polymer-based materials in active food packaging

Food packaging is essential for food safety, hygiene, and marketing. The modern packaged food industry demands convenience, health, nutrition, sustainability, innovation, compliance with regulatory standards, and food safety and quality. The subject of active food packaging (AFP) has great promise for improving food safety and preservation. AFP enhances shelf life, safety, and sensory attributes by controlling moisture, oxygen, and microbial growth and increasing product availability through antimicrobial agents and oxygen scavengers. Polymers, including synthetic and natural, are crucial in AFP due to their barrier properties, compatibility, safety, regulatory compliance, low cost, controlling gas, moisture, and flavour transmission, and extending shelf life. Recent technologies, such as active packaging and nanotechnology, improve food preservation and convenience. Polymer-based nanocomposites enhance the efficiency of packaging materials, increasing shelf life and protecting food against microbial degradation. The flexibility, durability, transparency, and barrier properties of synthetic polymer-based materials make them an attractive option for food packaging; however, their cost and environmental impact are also of concern. Biopolymer-based materials are being used more and more in AFP because of their ability to monitor food quality in real time, reduce waste, and promote biodegradation. AFP needs some important advancements such as consumer satisfaction, environmental safety, cost-effectiveness, technological improvements, biodegradability, and others. In this article, we have addressed the introduction of food packaging and AFP, the mechanisms of AFP, polymer-based nanocomposites, the use of different synthetic and natural polymers in AFP, and future perspectives.