Advances in dual-functional packaging: Visual monitoring of food freshness using plant essential oils and pH-sensitive natural pigments

The deterioration of food freshness and occurrence of spoilage is attributed to adverse external conditions during storage, leading to unnecessary waste and posing food safety concerns. Therefore, it is imperative to develop packaging that monitors and maintains food freshness. Intelligent and active packaging precisely meets these desired requirements. Intelligent packaging has the potential to offer real-time feedback on environmental changes within the packaging, providing valuable information about food quality and safety. On the other hand, active packaging represents a novel approach that incorporates active ingredients, such as antimicrobials into packages to enhance food quality. This review highlights recent advancements in dual-functional packaging utilizing various plant essential oils and pH-sensitive natural pigments. It explores different methods, with a focus on electrospinning, and also discusses existing challenges and future trends. This information aims to assist in the development of packaging systems, offering a new direction for the development of antibacterial and pH-sensitive packaging.