The global packaging market, valued at approximately $896 billion in 2022, is forecasted to rise to nearly $1.15 trillion by 2030. In parallel with this growth, the urgent issues of food waste and safety continue to affect global food security and environmental sustainability. FAO statistics reveal that in 2017, around 14% of the world's food was lost from production to retail, while 17% was wasted at the consumer level. Contaminated food resulting from improper storage or transportation presents severe health risks, including spoilage and the spread of pathogenic bacteria, significantly shortening food shelf life and jeopardizing health safety. "Active Smart Packaging" is an innovative food packaging system that can preserve food quality and facilitate effective communication between producers, logistics providers, retailers, and consumers.

This Research Topic aims to revolutionize the packaging industry by developing advanced active and smart packaging using eco-friendly biomaterials. These materials include natural antimicrobial, antioxidant, and biocidal properties with added functional technologies like pH-sensitivity, thermochromism, and oxygen sensors. By integrating these features, the packaging can interact dynamically with its contents to preserve quality and extend shelf life. Without relying on traditional plastics, these innovations promise to enhance health safety through real-time quality monitoring and improve food preservation across its intended shelf life. The envisioned products range from edible biosourced polymers, including starch and alginate, to non-edible thermoplastic biocomposites, tailored for enhanced mechanical and barrier properties.

To gather further insights in this innovative approach to packaging, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:

o Active packaging films;
o Thermochromic films;
o Self-healing films;
o pH-responsive and pH-sensitive films;
o Biopolymer film and coating;
o Sensors in food packaging;
o Food packaging innovations involving recycling materials or biomaterial byproducts.

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Frontiers in Food Science and Technology

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