Research Progress on Nanocomposites for Food Packaging Applications

Abstract

The limitations of traditional food packaging materials in terms of barrier properties, antimicrobial activity, freshness retention, and environmental friendliness are becoming increasingly apparent. Nanomaterials, however, have emerged as the core technological solution to overcome these traditional packaging constraints, owing to their unique quantum size effects, surface effects, and macroscopic quantum tunnelling effects. This paper systematically reviews three major application directions of nanomaterials in food packaging: Improved Packaging, Active Packaging, Smart Packaging and Bio - based Packaging It focuses on elucidating the technical principles, material selection, application cases, and latest research advances for each category. Research indicates that nanomaterials can significantly enhance packaging’s physical properties (such as barrier properties and mechanical strength), confer active intervention functions (such as antimicrobial and antioxidant properties), enable intelligent monitoring (such as oxygen and freshness monitoring) and promote biodegradation, thereby providing robust support for the advancement of the food packaging industry. In the future, nanomaterials in food packaging will evolve towards the miniaturisation of smart sensors and the standardised assessment of safety, offering potential solutions to critical global issues concerning food safety and sustainable development.