Biodegradable active, intelligent, and smart packaging materials for food applications

This review aims to provide an overview of the developments in biodegradable intelligent, active, and smart packaging for food application by highlighting their challenges and limitations. Essential oils and plant extracts has been successfully used in the development of intelligent and active biodegradable packages for foods. Polyphenols (especially anthocyanins) play a central role in the main application of intelligent and active packaging by indicating changes in food characteristics or improving shelf life, respectively. Smart biodegradable packaging is an emerging and promising area of research that has been receiving increasing attention in the last years as a major development from its two predecessors’ strategies. Improvements are necessary to reduce the dependency on pH change in intelligent packaging, improve the controlled release of bioactive compounds in active packaging, and develop strategies to preserve film integrity in smart packaging. •Biodegradable films with enhanced properties are crucial in a sustainable food sector.•Anthocyanins has been successfully applied in the development of intelligent films.•Properties of active compounds can affect the biodegradability of smart films.•Advances in controlled release of active compounds in active films are necessary.