Current sustainable solutions for extending the shelf life of meat and marine products in the packaging process

Abstract

Increased awareness of environmental sustainability has led to a call for actions by producers, scientists, and consumers towards current challenges in the agri-food sector. In particular, food packaging has been observed to be linked with plastic waste and food loss and therefore, the use of alternative packaging materials and extension of shelf life of food could be considered as potential measures. In this review, pre- and post-packaging strategies (novel technologies, modified atmosphere packaging, and preservative agents) and packaging materials (edible and non-edible coatings, and active and intelligent packaging) were reviewed and discussed for improving the shelf life of fresh meat and marine products in the context of environmental sustainability. Thus, novel solutions were considered for their application in the food packaging process. Although the majority of these technologies are novel and show promise in extending the shelf life, further research could facilitate their extensive implementation in the food industry.