Recent advances in the development and application of anthocyanin-based intelligent active food packaging: a review

Anthocyanin-based intelligent active packaging integrates natural bioactivity with pH-responsive color changes, offering significant potential for food preservation and freshness monitoring. This review summarizes research progress on anthocyanins in food packaging, focusing on their physicochemical properties, preparation methods, response mechanisms, and applications in meat and seafood packaging. Anthocyanins provide real-time freshness indication, while their antioxidant and antimicrobial properties help delay food spoilage and enhance safety. However, their inherent instability under light, temperature, and oxygen exposure remains a significant challenge. To address this, researchers have developed strategies such as blending, adsorption, microencapsulation, and electrospinning to enhance the stability and functionality of anthocyanins. Furthermore, this review critically discusses key barriers to commercialization, including high production costs, limited scalability, and regulatory uncertainty. Recent advances in copigmentation, green extraction solvents are summarized as emerging solutions. This review provides theoretical and technical insights to promote anthocyanin-based packaging in food applications.