Academic Journal
Stimulus-responsive nano-enabled chitosan-based films and coatings incorporating essential oils for active food packaging.
| Τίτλος: | Stimulus-responsive nano-enabled chitosan-based films and coatings incorporating essential oils for active food packaging. |
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| Συγγραφείς: | Bibi A; School of Food Science and Engineering, Yangzhou University, No. 196 Huayang West Road, Hanjiang District, Yangzhou 225127, China., Yang Z; School of Food Science and Engineering, Yangzhou University, No. 196 Huayang West Road, Hanjiang District, Yangzhou 225127, China., Yin Y; School of Food Science and Engineering, Yangzhou University, No. 196 Huayang West Road, Hanjiang District, Yangzhou 225127, China., Zhu J; School of Food Science and Engineering, Yangzhou University, No. 196 Huayang West Road, Hanjiang District, Yangzhou 225127, China. Electronic address: 008051@yzu.edu.cn. |
| Πηγή: | Food research international (Ottawa, Ont.) [Food Res Int] 2026 Oct 31; Vol. 242 (Pt 2), pp. 119993. Date of Electronic Publication: 2026 Jul 12. |
| Τύπος έκδοσης: | Journal Article; Review |
| Γλώσσα: | English |
| Στοιχεία περιοδικού: | Publisher: Published on behalf of the Canadian Institute of Food Science and Technology by Elsevier Applied Science Country of Publication: Canada NLM ID: 9210143 Publication Model: Print-Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1873-7145 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 09639969 NLM ISO Abbreviation: Food Res Int Subsets: MEDLINE |
| Imprint Name(s): | Original Publication: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada : Published on behalf of the Canadian Institute of Food Science and Technology by Elsevier Applied Science, c1992- |
| Ιατρικοί όροι (MeSH): | Chitosan*/chemistry , Food Packaging*/methods , Oils, Volatile*/chemistry, Nanoparticles/chemistry ; Food Preservation/methods ; Antioxidants/chemistry ; Anti-Infective Agents |
| Περίληψη: | Stimulus-responsive chitosan-based films and coatings incorporating essential oils (EOs) are emerging as promising active food packaging systems capable of delivering antimicrobial and antioxidant functions on demand. Compared with conventional chitosan or free-EO formulations, these nano-enabled materials offer improved EO stabilization, reduced premature volatilization, and more controlled release behavior in response to environmental triggers such as pH, moisture, temperature, and, in some cases, ionic strength or other spoilage-associated changes. This review examines how nanoencapsulation strategies, including nanoemulsions, polymeric nanoparticles, nanoliposomes, and electrospun nanofibers, modify chitosan matrix structure and release kinetics. It also discusses how these interfacial and structural changes enable stimulus-responsive performance. Particular attention is given to the mechanistic basis of triggered release, including matrix swelling, polymer relaxation, diffusion control, and the disruption of hydrogen-bonding and crosslinking networks under changing storage conditions. The review further evaluates the practical effectiveness of these systems in fresh produce, muscle foods, and minimally processed products. It highlights both their shelf-life extension potential and the limitations imposed by real food matrix interactions, sensory constraints, and scale-up challenges. Finally, safety, migration, regulatory, and industrial translation issues are discussed to clarify the current readiness of these smart packaging systems for commercial application. This review highlights stimulus-responsive release as a key design principle for future chitosan-EO active packaging and identifies key research priorities for advancing these systems toward practical food preservation use. (Copyright © 2026 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.) |
| Competing Interests: | Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper. |
| Contributed Indexing: | Keywords: Active food packaging; Chitosan nanocomposites; Essential oils; Nanoencapsulation; Stimulus-responsive polymers |
| Substance Nomenclature: | 9012-76-4 (Chitosan) 0 (Oils, Volatile) 0 (Antioxidants) 0 (Anti-Infective Agents) |
| Entry Date(s): | Date Created: 20260822 Date Completed: 20260822 Latest Revision: 20260822 |
| Update Code: | 20260823 |
| DOI: | 10.1016/j.foodres.2026.119993 |
| PMID: | 42632714 |
| Βάση Δεδομένων: | MEDLINE |
| ISSN: | 1873-7145 |
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| DOI: | 10.1016/j.foodres.2026.119993 |