Edible films/coatings containing bioactive ingredients with micro/nano encapsulation: A comprehensive review of their fabrications, formulas, multifunctionality and applications in food packaging

Abstract

Due to the consumer’s pursuit of safe, nontoxic and nutritious foods, edible and/or biodegradable materials have stood out in food packaging and preservation. In this context, the preparation and application of micro/nano encapsulated active ingredients (M/N-E-BAIs) represent a step toward reinforcing the properties of sustainable and controllable food packaging, particularly for the successful incorporation of new substances and functionalities into traditional edible films/coatings. This review, from the preparation of M/N-E-BAIs, the fabrication of edible film/coating containing M/N-E-BAIs to their characterization of multifunction and the application in food, makes a systematic summary and in-depth discussion. Food-grade polymers can encapsulate bioactive ingredients (BAIs) by chemical, physicochemical and mechanical methods, thereby forming M/N-E-BAIs with suitable sustained-release and unique biological activities. Furthermore, M/N-E-BAIs is incorporated into biopolymer substrates by solvent casting, 3D printing or electrostatic spinning to obtain novel edible films/coatings. This advanced packaging material exhibits superior physicochemical and functional properties over traditional food films/coatings. Besides, their applications in foods as active and intelligent packaging can improve food quality, prolong shelf life and monitor food corruption. Even so, there are still many challenges and limitations in formulation, preparation and application of this new packaging technology that need to be addressed in the future.

Keywords:

• Micro/nano encapsulated active compounds
• edible films/coatings
• multi-functional characteristics
• active and intelligent packaging
• food preservation

Acknowledgements

Thanks to the leading Talent Project of Science and Technology Innovation in Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region in 2020 (Grant No. 2020GKLRLX05), the National Natural Science Foundation of China in 2017 (Grant No. 31760435), Science and Technology Planning Project of Yinchuan, Ningxia Province in 2022 (2022ZDNY05) and the 2022 Graduate Innovation Program of Ningxia University (Grant No. CXXM202261) for providing funds support of this research.

Authors’ statement

Qiwen Xie: Data curation, Writing-original draft. Giushan Liu: Funding acquisition, Investigation, Guided the framework, Writing—review & editing. Yuanlv Zhang: Data curation, Monitored, Supervised the content, Data curation, Supervision.

Disclosure statement

The authors report there are no competing interests to declare.