Bioactive Packaging as a Sustainable Solution For Food Preservation: A Review

Abstract

Conventional packaging is a leader in the food industry but presents disadvantages such as poor biodegradability and increased pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. Bioactive packaging is a rising technology that is gaining popularity due to incorporating naturally occurring antimicrobial and antioxidant compounds sourced from agro-industrial waste and undervalued plants. The development of bioactive packaging offers several advantages such as extended shelf life, reduced food spoilage, improved food security, and use of sustainable sources. This review article explores the expanding area of bioactive packaging. Describe how bioactive compounds are incorporated into packaging matrices made of natural biodegradable polymers such as cellulose, chitosan, polylactic acid, lipids, and proteins. Additionally, review the main antimicrobial substances and natural antioxidants extracted from plants like essential oils and polyphenols into food packaging materials. Finally, the main techniques such as encapsulation and nanoemulsion were described to incorporate these bioactive compounds.