Integration of Freshness Monitoring and Active Packaging Technologies for Aquatic Products

Maria Ali, College of Food Science and Technology, Guangdong Ocean University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Aquatic Product Processing and Safety, Guangdong Province Engineering Laboratory for Marine Biological Products, Guangdong Provincial Engineering Technology Re-search Center of Seafood, Key Laboratory of Advanced Processing of Aquatic Product of Guangdong Higher Education Institution, Zhanjiang, 524088, China
Abdul Waheed Ghanghro, Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Wrocław University of Science and Technology, Wrocław 50-059, Poland and Institute of Biochemistry, University of Sindh, Jamshoro 76080, Pakistan Follow
Bheem Raj Serani, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
Mahrukh Zakir, Department of Biosciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Pakistan.

Keywords

smart packaging, active packaging, intelligent packaging, aquatic products

Abstract

Aquatic products are nutritionally valuable but highly perishable, with quality loss driven by microbial spoilage, biochemical changes, including total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N), trimethylamine (TMA) and histamine, and physicochemical deterioration, including lipid oxidation, gas production and texture loss. Conventional packaging slows these processes but does not report real-time freshness. This review analyzes how active packaging (antimicrobial, antioxidant, enzyme-inhibiting, and oxygen-scavenging systems, including bio- and nanocomposites) can be combined with freshness monitoring technologies (colorimetric/pH indicators, gas sensors, biosensors, and digital tools such as radio frequency identification (RFID) and Internet of Things (IoT) systems) specifically for fish, shrimp, and mollusks. We first map key spoilage mechanisms and markers, then evaluate active systems for aquatic products and compare three main monitoring families in terms of sensitivity, response time, cost–complexity and qualitative technology readiness. Integrated case studies (peptide-grafted films, modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) with time–temperature integrators (TTIs), smart labels with active papers and battery-free near-field communication (NFC) systems) are critically assessed for scalability, cost-effectiveness, safety, and regulatory feasibility. The review concludes that low-cost visual indicators coupled to simple active functions are closest to near-term deployment, while sensor- and biosensor-based systems remain at prototype level. Future work must prioritize marker- and species-specific validation, safe and scalable material systems, techno-economic evaluation, and early integration of regulatory and consumer aspects to justify industrial adoption in aquatic supply chains.

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Recommended Citation

Ali, Maria; Ghanghro, Abdul Waheed; Serani, Bheem Raj; and Zakir, Mahrukh (2026) "Integration of Freshness Monitoring and Active Packaging Technologies for Aquatic Products," Journal of Food and Drug Analysis: Vol. 34 : Iss. 3 , Article 16.
Available at: https://doi.org/10.38212/2224-6614.3607