Emerging smart packaging materials and technologies for ethylene detection and freshness monitoring in fresh produce

Abstract

Climacteric fruits and vegetables, such as bananas, mangoes, and kiwis, produce ethylene gas during ripening, which accelerates senescence and spoilage, contributing to major post-harvest losses of fresh produce. Therefore, monitoring and regulating ethylene levels are critical for maintaining freshness and reducing waste in supply chains. This review article explores the emerging technologies in smart packaging for freshness monitoring and real-time ethylene detection. Ethylene biosynthesis for fruit growth and ripening and analytical methods such as gas chromatography, flame ionization, nondispersive infrared technology, and photoacoustic spectroscopy for ethylene detection are discussed. Recent developments in smart packaging such as indicators, sensors, and RFID technology and their working mechanism, manufacturing procedures, and applications for ethylene monitoring during storage and distribution are explored. It is expected that smart packaging of fruits and vegetables will contribute to real-time ethylene detection, freshness indication, and shelf-life extension of produce. Recent innovations in optical sensors, colorimetric indicators, nanomaterial-based films, and RFID-enabled systems offer cost-effective, portable, and responsive solutions for freshness monitoring of fruits. Future research and development will contribute to the integration of the ethylene sensor with blockchain and IoT for multiple spoilage detection and portable smart packaging devices for real-time ethylene monitoring and reducing post-harvest losses.