Earticle

Packaging has evolved from its traditional role of containment and protection to the concept of smart packaging, which integrates monitoring, communication, and security functions. To implement such advanced features, researchers have increasingly explored the incorporation of energy harvesting technologies, enabling packaging to become self-powered and autonomous. Over the past decade, extensive research has been conducted to explore how energy harvesting can enable autonomous sensing, wireless communication, and real-time product monitoring within packaging systems. This review provides a comprehensive overview of recent advances in energy harvesting-based packaging technologies. We first introduce the fundamental principles of triboelectric, piezoelectric, thermoelectric, photovoltaic, radio frequency, and hydrovoltaic energy harvesting. We then examine their applications in logistics monitoring, food quality and safety evaluation, anti-counterfeiting, autonomous power supply, and the direct use of packaging materials as functional harvesters. Challenges such as energy output stability, large-scale fabrication, and compliance with food safety standards are also discussed. Finally, we outline future perspectives on hybrid systems, biodegradable materials, and the convergence of energy harvesting with IoT and AI. By synthesizing these developments, this review aims to highlight both the opportunities and limitations of energy harvesting in packaging, positioning it as a key enabler of sustainable and intelligent supply chains.

최근 식품의 품질을 확인하는 소비자의 관심이 높아짐에 따라 지능형 식품포장 기술이 점차 발전하고 있다. 지능형 포장의 중요한 요소인 indicator는 특정 물질을 감지하거나 식품 품질 변화를 나타내기 위한 색변화를 나타낸다. Gas indicator는 식품 품질이 변할 때 방출되는 휘발성 물질을 감지하기 위해 식품 포장에 내장될 수 있다. 에틸렌 가스는 후숙과일의 호흡을 증가 시키며 후숙과일이 숙성이 진행됨 에 따라서 에틸렌가스가 다시 생성된다. 포장된 과일의 경 우 headspace의 에틸렌가스 농도는 과일의 숙성도와 밀접 한 관련이 있다. 이와 관련하여 에틸렌 가스 흡수제를 제조 하여 에틸렌가스를 제거하는 방법도 적용된다. 하지만 이는 소비자가 적숙기의 과일을 섭취하는데 도움이 되지 않는다. 과일 포장에 사용할 수 있는 에틸렌가스 지시계가 있다면 소비자는 최적의 시간에 과일을 섭취할 수 있을 것이다. 본 논문에서는 금속 물질 환원반응 활용 지시계, fluorescence 활용 지시계, pH 지시약 활용 지시계, 리포솜 활용 지시계 등의 다양한 에틸렌가스 지시계를 비교하여 지금까지 개발 된 에틸렌가스 지시계의 특성과 장단점을 분석하였다. 각 지표를 분석한 결과, 금속 물질 환원반응 기반 지표인 몰리 브덴(Mo)에 팔라듐(Pd)을 촉매화하여 물리적 장벽의 수단인 SiO2와 30PDDA(polydiallyl dimethyl ammonium chloride) 의 다중층에 적용한 지시계가 안정성, 에틸렌가스에 대한 민감도, 시각적 변화를 통한 정보 제공력에서 가장 적합한 지시계로 가능성이 높을 것으로 사료된다.

Recently, intelligent packaging of foods has been increasingly developed in response to the growing interest of consumers in checking food quality. Indicators, an important element in intelligent packaging, change color to detect specific substances or indicate food quality changes. Gas indicators can be built into food packaging to detect volatile substances that are released when food quality changes. Ethylene gas is produced as climacteric fruits ripen. Climacteric fruit ripening results from a rapid increase in ethylene production and respiration. In the case of packaged fruits, the ethylene gas concentration in the headspace is closely related to the ripeness of each fruit variety. If an ethylene gas indicator that can be used in fruit packaging is available, the consumer will be able to eat the fruit at the optimal time. In this paper, the characteristics and pros and cons of the ethylene gas indicators developed so far were analyzed by reviewing various types of indicators such as metal reduction-based indicator, fluorescence-based indicator, pH indicator-based indicator, and liposome-based indicator.

Traditionally, food packaging is used to enhance food quality and provide consumers with product descriptions. As a new type of food packaging technology, the new generation of intelligent packaging can sensitively sense changes in the environmental atmosphere of stored food, so as to make a visual response to monitor the quality and freshness of food. This work summarizes the latest research on the development, properties and applications of natural polysaccharide-based smart food packaging materials. Firstly, the intelligent packaging system and polysaccharide-based intelligent packaging are summarized, and several representative polysaccharides are introduced. Secondly, different sensing methods that can be used to detect changes in food properties, such as those based on changes in time, temperature, humidity, oxygen levels, pH, chemical composition, or microbial contamination, are described. Then, the application of polysaccharide-based intelligent packaging materials in the food industry is discussed. Finally, the challenges and future directions of polysaccharide-based intelligent food packaging are discussed.