Trends in Food Science & Technology最新文献

{"title":"From detection to prevention: A cyber-secure AI ecosystem for mitigating milk adulteration and dairy fraud","authors":"Mati Ullah Khan ,&nbsp;Limin Zhen ,&nbsp;Jiaqi Tian ,&nbsp;Anum Farid ,&nbsp;Zhiwei Chen ,&nbsp;Hongliang Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.tifs.2025.105503","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tifs.2025.105503","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>The global dairy industry faces persistent and evolving threats from milk adulteration and fraudulent practices, which jeopardize public health, economic stability, and consumer trust. Conventional detection methods are reactive and increasingly inadequate, necessitating a paradigm shift towards preemptive prevention.</div></div><div><h3>Scope and approach</h3><div>This review critically examines the potential of a cyber-secure AI ecosystem, an integrated framework that progressively fuses Artificial Intelligence (AI) and cybersecurity to transform the dairy supply chain through seamless technical integration. We analyze how AI-driven methodologies, such as machine learning (ML) for non-linear pattern recognition, spectroscopic analysis for chemical profiling, and computer vision (CV) for visual inspection, are unified with cybersecurity measures via specific interfaces like secure Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) for Internet of Things (IoT) data ingestion and blockchain smart contracts for data validation. This enables encrypted data flows from supply chain sensors (capturing temperature, geolocation, and compositional profiles) to AI models, with feedback mechanisms, such as predictive anomaly alerts and adaptive model retraining, ensuring continuous system resilience and end-to-end data integrity, moving beyond isolated technologies to a cohesive ecosystem.</div></div><div><h3>Key findings and conclusions</h3><div>Our synthesis demonstrates that this deep integration creates a robust, multi-layered defense system where AI's predictive analytics are fortified by cybersecurity's protective protocols, enabling forensic attribution through immutable audit trails and a decisive transition from detection to prevention. For example, real-time IoT data, secured by zero-trust architectures, feeds into AI models for adulterant detection, with feedback loops triggering automated responses like data quarantines or model updates via federated learning, ensuring dynamic system adaptability. However, this paradigm shift faces significant hurdles, including the black box nature of complex AI models, the cost and scalability of blockchain, and socio-technical adoption barriers. We conclude that the strategic implementation of this ecosystem, while not a panacea, is critical for safeguarding public health and ensuring dairy industry integrity. The review provides a cohesive roadmap for stakeholders, emphasizing collaborative governance, standardized protocols, and emerging technologies like federated learning and quantum-resistant encryption to overcome existing barriers and build a resilient supply chain.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":441,"journal":{"name":"Trends in Food Science & Technology","volume":"168 ","pages":"Article 105503"},"PeriodicalIF":15.4,"publicationDate":"2025-12-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145788158","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Natural functional sweet-tasting molecules from food-medicine plants: an updated review of their sources and classifications, sensory evaluation, mechanism of sweet taste transduction and safety","authors":"Rong Li ,&nbsp;Kangmeng Sun ,&nbsp;Jiayi Liang ,&nbsp;Xinyu Luan ,&nbsp;Xinyuan Sun ,&nbsp;Peigen Xiao ,&nbsp;Chunnian He","doi":"10.1016/j.tifs.2025.105494","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tifs.2025.105494","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>There is growing public interest in reducing sugar intake and adopting healthier diets. Natural sweet-tasting molecules derived from food-medicine plants can satisfy the desire for sweetness while offering potential health benefits. These properties align with current trends in sugar reduction and healthy consumption, highlighting their considerable market potential and prospective health value. However, information on the sources, sensory properties, pharmacological activities, and safety profiles of many natural non-sugar sweet-tasting compounds remains fragmented and insufficiently integrated.</div></div><div><h3>Scope and approach</h3><div>This paper aims to provide a comprehensive overview of major food-medicine sweet-tasting plants worldwide and their principal functional sweet-tasting molecules. It systematically addresses their sources and classifications, sensory characteristics, edible and medicinal uses, sensory evaluation methods, sweetness signal transduction mechanisms, and safety.</div></div><div><h3>Key findings and conclusions</h3><div>Twenty-four types of food-medicine sweet-tasting plants from different global regions have been systematically reviewed. In addition, at least 35 other potential sweet-tasting plants with dual medicinal and edible applications have been identified. From these plants, over 56 representative functional sweet-tasting molecules have been selected, and their structural characteristics systematically summarized. These compounds demonstrate both perceptible sweetness and measurable pharmacological activity, highlighting their dual potential for applications in the food and pharmaceutical industries. Accordingly, we propose the new term \"functional sweet-tasting molecules (FSTMs)\" to provide a scientific designation for non-sugar sweet-tasting molecules possessing both medicinal and food uses. Integrated and intelligent analytical methods have significantly improved the accuracy and efficiency of sweet taste sensory evaluation. Nevertheless, human sensory analysis remains a reliable approach for validating sweetness and specific flavor profiles. The heterogeneity of sweet taste receptors and the complexity of sweet signal transduction offer potential targets for developing novel personalized sweeteners and therapeutic interventions for metabolic diseases. Moreover, most natural functional sweet-tasting molecules show no significant toxicity at normal intake levels, though additional studies are necessary.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":441,"journal":{"name":"Trends in Food Science & Technology","volume":"168 ","pages":"Article 105494"},"PeriodicalIF":15.4,"publicationDate":"2025-12-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145788150","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Emerging photo-responsive antimicrobial packaging films: From rational design to food preservation applications","authors":"Lu Chen ,&nbsp;Shiying Tang ,&nbsp;Yong Zhao ,&nbsp;Qiaohui Zeng ,&nbsp;Jing Jing Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.tifs.2025.105506","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tifs.2025.105506","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Microbial contamination poses a significant threat to food safety and human health, particularly in perishable foods such as meat, seafood, fruits, and vegetables. Traditional antimicrobial packaging films (APFs) face challenges including instability of antimicrobial agents, uncontrolled release behavior, and the risk of bacterial resistance. In response, photo-responsive APFs have emerged as an innovative solution to address these limitations while preserving food quality.</div></div><div><h3>Scope and approach</h3><div>This review examines photo-responsive APFs that leverage light-activated mechanisms including photodynamic inactivation (PDI), photocatalysis, photothermal conversion, quantum dots (QDs), and photo-responsive sustained-release processes. These technologies utilize light as an external trigger to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) or localized hyperthermia, enabling precise and efficient antimicrobial activity. The special emphasis of this review has been focused on their design, fabrication strategies, fundamental action mechanisms, and practical applications in food preservation.</div></div><div><h3>Key findings and conclusions</h3><div>Photo-responsive APFs exhibit broad-spectrum antibacterial activity, and effectively prolong the shelf life of various food products. Notably, key innovations lie in the integration of natural photosensitizers (e.g., curcumin, berberine), semiconductor photocatalysts (e.g., TiO₂, g-C₃N₄), and photothermal nanomaterials (gold nanorods, melanin nanoparticles) into biodegradable polymer materials. Despite their promising potential, critical challenges persist, including the poor photostability of functional components, nanomaterial migration from AFP matrix, and uneven light distribution in complex food systems. Accordingly, future research should focus on optimizing light-harvesting efficiency of these APFs, developing scalable manufacturing processes, and validating their long-term safety to facilitate commercialization. Overall speaking, photo-responsive APFs represent a transformative advancement in food preservation, offering a sustainable and efficient alternative to conventional APFs that effectively address critical food safety challenges.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":441,"journal":{"name":"Trends in Food Science & Technology","volume":"168 ","pages":"Article 105506"},"PeriodicalIF":15.4,"publicationDate":"2025-12-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145788220","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"pH-Responsive fluorescent hydrogels for food anticounterfeiting, freshness monitoring and preservation: Mechanisms, fabrication strategies, and emerging applications","authors":"Xiaowen Xu","doi":"10.1016/j.tifs.2025.105499","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tifs.2025.105499","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>The worldwide issues of food deterioration and product counterfeiting highlight the need for creating advanced, intelligent materials. pH-responsive fluorescent hydrogels are promising smart materials, integrating hydrogel pH-triggered swelling with embedded fluorophores’ tunable optical signaling. They enable real-time non-destructive food spoilage pH detection and anti-counterfeiting via customizable, hard-to-replicate optics, advancing food safety and brand integrity.</div></div><div><h3>Scope and approach</h3><div>This review systematically summarizes recent advancements in the design and application of pH-responsive fluorescent hydrogels for food preservation, freshness monitoring, and dynamic anticounterfeiting. It delves into the fundamental principles of pH-induced hydrogel property changes and the key fluorescence modulation mechanisms, including Photoinduced Electron Transfer (PET), Intramolecular Charge Transfer (ICT), Förster Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET), and Aggregation-Induced Emission (AIE). Furthermore, it details various fabrication strategies, from the selection of fluorophores (small organic dyes, carbon dots, quantum dots, rare earth chelates and green fluorescent protein) to their integration into hydrogel networks via physical doping or covalent bonding.</div></div><div><h3>Key findings and conclusions</h3><div>The review highlights state-of-the-art applications where these hydrogels act as intelligent labels for real-time food spoilage detection through visible fluorescence changes and as sophisticated, multi-level security tags with pH-erasable and rewritable patterns. This is the first comprehensive review to bridge fundamental fluorescence modulation mechanisms with emerging applications of pH-responsive hydrogels specifically for food sector. Despite their immense potential, challenges regarding long-term stability, toxicity, and scalable production remain. Future research should focus on enhancing material robustness, ensuring biosafety, and integrating these systems with digital technologies like machine learning to transition these innovative hydrogels from the laboratory to widespread commercial use.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":441,"journal":{"name":"Trends in Food Science & Technology","volume":"168 ","pages":"Article 105499"},"PeriodicalIF":15.4,"publicationDate":"2025-12-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145788151","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Exosome-like nanovesicles (ELNVs) from aquatic products: An emerging food bioactive resource","authors":"Chengxin Ma ,&nbsp;Yixuan Wang ,&nbsp;Haoying Ren ,&nbsp;Yong Xue ,&nbsp;Chunhuan Liu ,&nbsp;Xiaoming Jiang ,&nbsp;Changhu Xue","doi":"10.1016/j.tifs.2025.105501","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tifs.2025.105501","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Exosome-like nanovesicles (ELNVs) are emerging as important bioactive carriers in functional foods. ELNVs derived from plants and milk have attracted attention because they are stable, biocompatible, and can protect and deliver bioactive compounds to target cells. However, ELNVs from aquatic products such as fish, shellfish, and sea cucumbers remain largely underexplored, despite their rich bioactive composition and promising potential for functional food applications.</div></div><div><h3>Scope and approach</h3><div>ELNVs from aquatic products encapsulate the unique bioactive molecules and specialized physiological structures evolved by aquatic products over hundreds of millions of years. They are naturally enriched in structural lipids, proteins, omega-3 fatty acids, bioactive peptides, and marine polysaccharides. Moreover, ELNVs reflect the functional properties of their source tissues. For example, they carry the antibacterial activity of fish mucus and the osteogenic effects of mollusk mantle membranes. These features highlight their potential as functional nanocarriers for antibacterial therapy and bone health.</div></div><div><h3>Key findings and conclusions</h3><div>Herein, this review aims to explore the relationship between the unique composition and physiological structures of aquatic products and the functional properties of ELNVs from aquatic products. It provides new insights for the study of food-grade ELNVs and broadens their potential applications in functional foods and nutrition.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":441,"journal":{"name":"Trends in Food Science & Technology","volume":"168 ","pages":"Article 105501"},"PeriodicalIF":15.4,"publicationDate":"2025-12-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145837038","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Digital twin technology in AI-operated metaverse for food processing: A pathway to sustainability, efficiency and innovation","authors":"Batuhan İnanlar,&nbsp;Filiz Altay","doi":"10.1016/j.tifs.2025.105491","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tifs.2025.105491","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This review presents recent developments in digital twin (DT) technology for food processing, emphasizing its integration with artificial intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), and immersive VR/AR environments. DTs leverage 3D modeling and physics-based simulations to create dynamic virtual representations of food processes, enabling real-time monitoring, predictive analytics, and virtual prototyping. Applications in fermentation, pasteurisation, cooking, and cold chain logistics demonstrate notable improvements in efficiency, sustainability, and product quality. Key challenges include data standardization, cybersecurity, and ethical AI considerations, while emerging approaches such as edge computing and blockchain-enhanced security offer promising solutions. The review also highlights the transition toward cognitive twin ecosystems in Industry 5.0-enabled agri-food systems, supporting cross-disciplinary collaboration and innovation. By synthesizing current research and identifying gaps, this study provides guidance for implementing DTs to enhance resilience, traceability, and digital transformation in modern food processing.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":441,"journal":{"name":"Trends in Food Science & Technology","volume":"168 ","pages":"Article 105491"},"PeriodicalIF":15.4,"publicationDate":"2025-12-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145787820","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Soybean hull polysaccharides: Extraction technologies, Structure–Function relationships, and emerging bioactivities","authors":"Zixuan Zhang ,&nbsp;Hanbing Jia ,&nbsp;András Koris ,&nbsp;Attila Csighy ,&nbsp;Bingyu Chen ,&nbsp;Linyi Zhou ,&nbsp;Xiaoyong Liu ,&nbsp;Zhongjiang Wang ,&nbsp;Feiyue Ren ,&nbsp;Hongzhi Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.tifs.2025.105500","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tifs.2025.105500","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Soybean hulls, a major by-product of the global soybean processing industry, are often underutilized or discarded despite being a rich source of valuable polysaccharides such as pectin, cellulose, and hemicellulose. These polysaccharides exhibit promising functional and bioactive properties, offering substantial potential for applications across food, pharmaceutical, and material science domains.</div></div><div><h3>Scope and method</h3><div>This review critically examines recent advances in the extraction, structural characterization, and functional evaluation of soybean hull polysaccharides (SHP). Both conventional and emerging extraction technologies including enzymatic, ultrasonic, microwave-assisted, and deep eutectic solvent methods are compared in terms of yield, environmental sustainability, and preservation of polysaccharide integrity. The relationships between structural attributes (e.g., molecular weight, monosaccharide composition, and chemical modifications) and biofunctional outcomes are systematically analyzed.</div></div><div><h3>Main findings and conclusions</h3><div>Structural features of SHP strongly influence their antioxidant, hypolipidemic, immunomodulatory, and prebiotic activities. Advances in SHP modification have expanded their application potential in novel delivery systems, biodegradable films, emulsions, cryoprotectants, and 3D-printed biomaterials. Despite promising functionality, further research is needed to enhance extraction efficiency, control structure–function outcomes and support regulatory approval. Future directions include omics-guided characterization, targeted modification strategies, and integration of SHP valorization into circular bioeconomy models. Overall, SHP represent a sustainable and multifunctional ingredient for next-generation food and biomedical innovations.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":441,"journal":{"name":"Trends in Food Science & Technology","volume":"168 ","pages":"Article 105500"},"PeriodicalIF":15.4,"publicationDate":"2025-12-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145788216","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The quiet side of EU novel foods: how ‘ordinary’ innovations are overshadowed by extreme cases","authors":"Maria Giulia Bonomini,&nbsp;Chiara Dall’Asta","doi":"10.1016/j.tifs.2025.105490","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tifs.2025.105490","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Novel foods (NFs) are often seen as radical innovations that challenge ethical norms and cultural expectations, fueling polarized debates on safety and acceptability. Yet, many authorised NFs have entered markets quietly, without triggering adverse consumer reactions.</div></div><div><h3>Aim</h3><div>This commentary illustrates the ‘quiet side’ of NFs by highlighting authorised ingredients that have been integrated into EU food systems with limited public visibility, and by discussing how media narratives and cognitive biases shape this asymmetry.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>We examined authorised NFs including human-identical milk oligosaccharides (3-Fucosyllactose, 3′-Sialyllactose Sodium Salt), DHA-rich oil from Schizochytrium sp., <em>Yarrowia lipolytica</em> biomass, chia seeds, and prebiotic oligosaccharides (GOS, XOS, IMOS). Data were collected from regulatory dossiers, scientific literature, and market reports to assess safety, functional properties, and integration into conventional diets.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Many NFs are not radically different from conventional foods but provide nutritional, technological, and environmental benefits. Our analysis highlights a pronounced gap between public perception—often shaped by sensationalized narratives—and scientific evaluation confirming safety and functionality.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Recognizing the low-profile success of many NFs emphasizes the importance of clear and evidence-based science communication. Educating consumers about the safety, benefits, and integration of NFs can reduce polarized opinions and foster informed acceptance. By bridging innovation, regulation, and consumer understanding, these insights support the responsible development of sustainable, nutritionally enhanced, and technologically advanced food systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":441,"journal":{"name":"Trends in Food Science & Technology","volume":"168 ","pages":"Article 105490"},"PeriodicalIF":15.4,"publicationDate":"2025-12-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145788152","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A review on advancing sustainable vegan meat alternatives through scalable production of plant-based smart proteins","authors":"Shubhi Singh,&nbsp;Meena Krishania","doi":"10.1016/j.tifs.2025.105497","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tifs.2025.105497","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Meeting the global demand for protein has become a critical challenge, as animal meat production imposes significant environmental and health burdens. Plant-based smart proteins (PBSP) have emerged as a potential source to produce vegan meat due to improved nutritional quality, diverse functional properties and compatibility with modern structuring techniques. Moreover, the valorization of agricultural residues, abundant in countries like India, provides a renewable feedstock for PBSP while simultaneously reducing waste and pollution.</div></div><div><h3>Scope and approach</h3><div>This review provides insights into recent advances in PBSP research, highlighting their functional properties, extraction methods and formulation strategies to replicate meat-like texture, flavor and juiciness through extrusion, shear cell processing, freeze structuring and 3D printing techniques. Furthermore, it also examines flavor masking and fat simulation approaches to overcome sensory limitations, alongside life cycle assessment examples that determine industrial viability of PBSP.</div></div><div><h3>Key findings and conclusion</h3><div>PBSP exhibit essential techno-functional traits, such as gelation, water- and oil-holding capacities as well as emulsifying potential, which are critical for replicating fibrous and anisotropic structures in vegan meat. Moreover, PBSP offer environmental benefits, including reduced land use, water consumption, and greenhouse gas emissions compared to conventional meat production. However, the functional performance can vary depending on the protein extraction and processing methods employed, particularly when derived from agri-residues. Therefore, by integrating smart proteins with agri-residue valorization and advanced structuring techniques, this review outlines a roadmap for the scalable, cost-effective and environmentally sustainable production of vegan meat analogues, bridging scientific innovation with industrial application.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":441,"journal":{"name":"Trends in Food Science & Technology","volume":"168 ","pages":"Article 105497"},"PeriodicalIF":15.4,"publicationDate":"2025-12-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145788218","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Anthocyanin-based indicator labels for intelligent food packaging: Mechanisms, multiscale regulation, and future perspectives for enhancing color-response performance","authors":"Yiwen Bao ,&nbsp;Huijun Cui ,&nbsp;Xu Si ,&nbsp;Jiaxin Li ,&nbsp;Tao Huang ,&nbsp;Bin Li","doi":"10.1016/j.tifs.2025.105495","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tifs.2025.105495","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>As global food safety risks and food waste issues become increasingly severe, intelligent indicator labels have garnered attention as an emerging non-destructive visual monitoring method. Anthocyanin-based indicator labels demonstrate unique potential in food freshness monitoring due to their highly specific color-response to environmental pH fluctuations and volatile compounds. However, their coloration behavior remains constrained by the challenge of balancing stability and sensitivity.</div></div><div><h3>Scope and approach</h3><div>This paper systematically reviews the color response mechanisms of anthocyanin indicator labels in food freshness monitoring, incorporating the “Stimulus-Transport-Reaction-Colorimetry (S-T-R-C)” framework as a novel organizing principle, and critically examines recent research advances in multiscale color-response regulation strategies. It focuses on four key aspects: pH initialization, intermolecular copigmentation, nano/micro-scale confined release, and porosity regulation. Additionally, the paper discusses the prospects and key challenges of anthocyanin indicator labels in practical food packaging.</div></div><div><h3>Key findings and conclusions</h3><div>This review reveals that the color-response of anthocyanin indicator labels is fundamentally a strongly microenvironment-driven multiscale coupled process, with their color development behavior jointly determined by the synergistic effects of stimulation, mass transport, and structural transformation. By introducing the S-T-R-C framework, we systematically organize the color development mechanism of anthocyanin indicator labels and elucidate the complementary roles of regulatory strategies in balancing stability and sensitivity. However, anthocyanin indicator labels still face challenges in signal stability, colorimetric standardization, customized regulation, multidimensional response, structural controllability, and overall safety and sustainability. Future efforts should integrate diverse strategies to optimize performance and accelerate the transition of anthocyanin indicator labels from laboratory research to industrialization.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":441,"journal":{"name":"Trends in Food Science & Technology","volume":"168 ","pages":"Article 105495"},"PeriodicalIF":15.4,"publicationDate":"2025-12-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145735346","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}