Muthu Arjun, Nguyen Duyen H H, Neji Chaima, Törős Gréta, Ferroudj Aya, Atieh Reina, Prokisch József, El-Ramady Hassan, Béni Áron
Doctoral School of Nutrition and Food Science, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary.
Institute of Agricultural Chemistry and Soil Science, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences and Environmental Management, University of Debrecen, 138 Böszörményi Street, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary.
Foods. 2025 Jul 29;14(15):2657. doi: 10.3390/foods14152657.
The global food industry is facing growing pressure to enhance food safety, extend shelf life, minimize waste, and adopt environmentally sustainable packaging solution. Nanotechnology offers innovative ways to meet these demands by enabling the creation of smart and sustainable food packaging systems. Due to their unique properties, nanomaterials can significantly enhance the functional performance of packaging by boosting mechanical strength, barrier efficiency, antimicrobial activity, and responsiveness to environmental stimuli. This review provides a comprehensive overview of nanomaterials used as smart and sustainable food packaging, focusing on their role in active and intelligent packaging systems. By integrating nanomaterials like metal and metal oxide nanoparticles, carbon-based nanostructures, and nano-biopolymers, packaging can now perform real-time sensing, spoilage detection, and traceability. These systems improve food quality management and supply chain transparency while supporting global sustainability goals. The review also discusses potential risks related to nanomaterials' migration, environmental impact, and consumer safety, as well as the current regulatory landscape and limitations in industrial scalability. Emphasis is placed on the importance of standardized safety assessments and eco-friendly design to support responsible innovation. Overall, nano-enabled smart packaging represents a promising strategy for advancing food safety and sustainability. Future developments will require collaboration across disciplines and robust regulatory frameworks to ensure the safe and practical application of nanotechnology in food systems.
全球食品行业面临着越来越大的压力，需要提高食品安全、延长保质期、减少浪费，并采用环境可持续的包装解决方案。纳米技术通过创造智能且可持续的食品包装系统，提供了满足这些需求的创新方法。由于其独特的性质，纳米材料可以通过提高机械强度、阻隔效率、抗菌活性以及对环境刺激的响应能力，显著增强包装的功能性能。本综述全面概述了用作智能且可持续食品包装的纳米材料，重点关注它们在活性和智能包装系统中的作用。通过整合金属和金属氧化物纳米颗粒、碳基纳米结构和纳米生物聚合物等纳米材料，包装现在可以进行实时传感、变质检测和可追溯性。这些系统改善了食品质量管理和供应链透明度，同时支持全球可持续发展目标。该综述还讨论了与纳米材料迁移、环境影响和消费者安全相关的潜在风险，以及当前的监管环境和工业可扩展性的局限性。重点强调了标准化安全评估和生态友好设计对于支持负责任创新的重要性。总体而言，纳米智能包装是推进食品安全和可持续发展的一项有前景的策略。未来的发展将需要跨学科合作和强大的监管框架，以确保纳米技术在食品系统中的安全和实际应用。
