A Comprehensive Review on the Significance of Antioxidants and Their Influence on Biopolymer Packaging Films: Recent Advances and Challenges

Abstract

Autooxidation is a significant cause of quality deterioration in food systems, leading to nutrient loss, off-flavor formation, textural changes, and overall spoilage. Mitigating oxidative reactions can be effectively accomplished by incorporating antioxidants, which suppress or delay radical-mediated degradation, thus extending product shelf life. This review critically explores the mechanistic basis of food autooxidation, identifies key prooxidant factors, and clarifies the involved reaction pathways. A comprehensive analysis of commonly used antioxidant assays is offered, detailing their methodological strengths and limitations. The effectiveness and suitability of recent developments in antioxidant incorporation techniques, grounded in cutting-edge scientific literature, are evaluated in relation to actual food matrices. The review also addresses the types of biopolymers with antioxidant activity, their role in active packaging, and the impact of the biopolymer on release rates. The advantages and potential downsides of using antioxidants for human health are evaluated. To highlight recent advancements, a summary and table of research are provided, demonstrating how these films can prolong the shelf life of perishable goods. Additionally, the challenges and opportunities in developing antioxidant-enriched packaging films are discussed. Overall, this study provides a comprehensive and forward-looking assessment of antioxidant-enabled food packaging technologies, highlighting their current strengths, limitations, and potential future research directions.