Biosensors and biopolymer-based nanocomposites for smart food packaging: Challenges and opportunities

Abstract

The concept of smart food packaging based on biosensors and biopolymer-based nanocomposites has been attracting more and more interest to the industrial community because of the concerns of food quality and safety. A biosensor with food packaging has a scope to enable real-time monitoring of microbial breakdown products of packaged foods. Biopolymer-based nanocomposites (named bionanocomposites) have been extensively studied over the past few decades due to their excellent mechanical, thermal, optical, and antimicrobial properties. Despite significant progress made in different studies regarding the uses of biosensors and bionanocomposites, the potential challenges and opportunities of them in developing smart food packaging have not been properly addressed. The idea of integrating bionanocomposites and using them as a biosensor in food packaging can be a milestone for developing smart food packaging industries. Therefore, it is important to know more about biosensors and bionanocomposites for developing sustainable and affordable smart packaging materials. The focus of this review is to outline existing research and developments (R&D) on biosensors and bionanocomposites and provide some perspectives of their potential challenges and opportunities in future smart food packaging industries.