2D materials for nutraceutical delivery and smart packaging: multifunctional, sustainable, and responsive applications

Abstract

Materials in the form of two-dimensional (2D) structures have recently become a revolutionary platform in nutraceutical delivery and smart food packaging, solving the problem of poor solubility, stability, and bioavailability of bioactive compounds. Traditional delivery systems are not always effective in preventing the degradation of sensitive nutraceuticals like polyphenols, flavonoids, vitamins, and probiotics in response to light, heat, pH changes, or enzyme activity, which reduces their therapeutic potential. Similarly, conventional packaging materials offer little protection and no active food freshness monitoring, which leads to shorter shelf life and poor quality. The novelty of this review is the focus on the multifunctional potential of 2D materials in improving nutraceutical delivery and allowing smart, antimicrobial packaging with targeted, responsive, and sustainable applications. In contrast to the existing reviews that mainly focus on biomedical or pharmaceutical applications, this review summarizes nutraceutical-specific advances, critically evaluates various 2D materials, including graphene and graphene derivatives, MXenes, layered double hydroxides (LDHs), transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), and 2D metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), and points out regulatory, toxicological, and sustainability issues that are essential to real-world translation. Recent reports indicate that 2D materials can be used to efficiently encapsulate bioactives and enhance solubility, chemical stability, and controlled or stimuli-responsive release. In addition, these materials offer antimicrobial, antioxidant and sensing properties to packaging, allowing real-time monitoring and extended shelf life. Collectively, these features turn traditional delivery and packaging into smart, multifunctional platforms. Although these developments have been made, there are still challenges such as the possibility of biosafety issues, lack of standard procedures, regulatory frameworks, and challenges of scalable production. The future outlook focuses on the development of safe, biodegradable, and commercially viable 2D materials, along with standardized evaluation platforms, to provide sustainable, effective, and market-ready nutraceutical delivery and smart packaging solutions.