Utilizing natural pigments in electrospun nanofibers: Sustainable and smart food packaging solutions driven by nanotechnology
Narges Khalafi, Mohsen Zandi
Abstract
Incorporating natural pigments into electrospun nanofibers represents a promising leap toward sustainable and intelligent food packaging solutions. Recent studies indicate a significant increase in consumer demand for eco-friendly and biodegradable packaging solutions. This trend highlights the importance of incorporating natural pigments into innovative packaging designs that enhance shelf life and enable real-time monitoring of food quality. Electrospinning allows the fabrication of nanofibers with high surface area, tunable porosity, and the ability to encapsulate natural pigments, thereby enhancing their stability and functionality in packaging materials. Although prior reviews have examined electrospun food packaging, this review focuses on incorporating natural pigments to enhance the smart functionality of food packaging. This paper provides an extensive summary of the latest developments in utilizing natural pigments within electrospun nanofibers for sustainable food packaging. It describes the challenges of substituting natural pigments with synthetic pigments in food applications, especially in intelligent electrospun food packaging. Additionally, current research gaps and future directions for implementing natural pigment-based intelligent packaging systems are identified. This convergence of natural pigments, nanotechnology, and regulatory innovation is shaping the future of food packaging toward safer, more innovative, and more sustainable solutions. The integration of natural pigments into electrospun nanofibers for packaging systems addresses pressing challenges, including food spoilage, waste reduction, and the demand for environmentally friendly solutions. However, further research is essential to address the challenges associated with natural pigments in electrospun nanofibers for smart packaging, including production costs, material compatibility, mechanical properties, environmental stability, regulatory requirements, and long-term effectiveness.