Food and Humanity最新文献

{"title":"Banana starch: Modification methods and their effect on starch properties–a recent review","authors":"N. Sharath Kumar ,&nbsp;C.K. Sunil ,&nbsp;Mahendra Kumar Verma ,&nbsp;V. Palanimuthu","doi":"10.1016/j.foohum.2025.100543","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foohum.2025.100543","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Unripe green banana is a valuable and sustainable source of starch that offers numerous health advantages. This starch holds significant potential by being low-cost, flexible, hydrophilic, biodegradable polymeric carbohydrate suited for food and non-food applications. The unique profile of resistant starch found in green banana starch enhances its competitiveness within the global starch market. However, the native starch possesses certain limitations that restricts its ability to meet the growing demands of the food industry. To address these challenges, it is crucial to modify native starch while preserving its beneficial properties. Various modification techniques such as physical, chemical, enzymatic, and dual approaches are being employed to improve the physicochemical properties, gelatinization, thermal stability, shear strength, gelling strength, paste clarity, organoleptic quality, film-forming capabilities, and to reduce retrogradation and syneresis. In addition, the selected modification thrives to standardize the starch properties by reducing the batch variability at industrial scale production. Given the importance of these improvements in the arena of starch modification a comprehensive review of current advances in banana starch is essential. This review begins with the overview of nutritional properties of banana starch and the methods used for its isolation. The subsequent discussion focuses on the modification techniques and their mechanisms to enhance crucial techno-functional parameters with consideration on structural changes and its impact on functional property. The review also covers the potential of banana derived nano-starches mainly driven towards bioactives delivery. Furthermore, the review examines the applications of banana starch in both food and non-food contexts.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100543,"journal":{"name":"Food and Humanity","volume":"4 ","pages":"Article 100543"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143508708","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A critical assessment of the interplay of conflict, hunger, poverty, and food insecurity in Africa","authors":"Olutosin Ademola Otekunrin","doi":"10.1016/j.foohum.2025.100544","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foohum.2025.100544","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>The world is facing a critical challenge: ensuring adequate food production and supply to meet the needs of a rapidly growing global population. Food insecurity is on the rise, exacerbated by factors such as skyrocketing food prices, prolonged conflicts, climate disruption, and the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. While the FAO and its partners report some stabilization in the rate of undernourishment, hunger has increased in regions like Western Asia, the Caribbean, and Africa. Conflict and violence are particularly concerning, acting as a primary catalyst for severe food and nutrition insecurity.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>This study reviews recent trends in hunger, poverty, and food insecurity, utilizing established metrics like the Global Hunger Index (GHI), World Poverty Clock, and Global Food Security Index (GFSI). It specifically assesses the interplay of conflict using recent data from The Armed Conflict Location &amp; Event Data Project (ACLED) on these issues in Africa. The study utilizes country-level data from Africa to assess correlations between conflict index scores and indicators of poverty, hunger, and food security.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The results underscore the substantial impact of conflict on food security across the continent. The study presents country-level evidence of clear links between conflict index scores and indicators of poverty (r = 0.31), hunger (r = 0.47), and food security (r = -0.58) in Africa. The research sheds light on the dire food security situations in African hotspots and offers crucial considerations for addressing the intertwined challenges of conflict, hunger, poverty, and food insecurity in sub-Saharan Africa.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>The study highlights the critical need to address the interconnected challenges of conflict, hunger, poverty, and food insecurity in sub-Saharan Africa. The findings emphasize the importance of understanding the complex interplay of these factors and prioritizing conflict mitigation and resolution strategies as a crucial step towards achieving sustainable food security in the region. Further research and collaborative efforts are necessary to develop effective and long-term solutions to this pressing global challenge.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100543,"journal":{"name":"Food and Humanity","volume":"4 ","pages":"Article 100544"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143512331","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effect of a pectin edible coating with lemon peel extract to maintain strawberry fruit's quality during cold storage","authors":"Dian Novita Zebua ,&nbsp;Eka Cahya Prima ,&nbsp;Yelliantty ,&nbsp;Yudi Garnida","doi":"10.1016/j.foohum.2025.100541","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foohum.2025.100541","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study aims to analyze the effect of lemon peel extract-enriched edible coating on strawberry fruit quality (physical, chemical, and sensory properties) under cold storage of 4 ºC for 12 days. Pectin-based edible coatings were added by 0, 1.5, 3, and 4.5 wt% lemon peel extract (LPE). The study was designed using a completely randomized design. Physical properties include weight loss, color, firmness, decay percentage, and total soluble solids. The chemical properties were determined by analyzing pH, antioxidant activities, total phenolic and anthocyanin contents, and vitamin C. The results showed that adding 3 % LPE to edible coatings reduced 1.19 % weight loss (<em>p</em> = .593^ns) and decreased 34 % decay percentage (<em>p</em> &lt; .001^**), maintained the lightness (<em>p</em> &lt; .001^**) and color of strawberries (<em>p</em> &lt; .001^**), and deteriorated the softening process (<em>p</em> = .003^**) in strawberries during the storage period. Moreover, the treatment also shows 0.03 % higher antioxidant activity (<em>p</em> = .494^ns), 1.25 % higher total phenolic (<em>p</em> = .012*), and maintains anthocyanin contents (<em>p</em> = .077^ns), and 5.9 % higher vitamin C (<em>p</em> = .002^**) compared to the control sample^. This work contributes to improving the fruits’ sensory properties (<em>p</em> &lt; .001^**) during the storage period and has the potential to significantly enhance the food industry by introducing a new and beneficial use of LPE in edible coatings.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100543,"journal":{"name":"Food and Humanity","volume":"4 ","pages":"Article 100541"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143463947","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Agricultural data Privacy: Emerging platforms & strategies","authors":"Anand K. Gavai ,&nbsp;Yamine Bouzembrak ,&nbsp;Donika Xhani ,&nbsp;Gayane Sedrakyan ,&nbsp;Miranda P.M. Meuwissen ,&nbsp;Renata Guizzardi-Silva Souza ,&nbsp;Hans J.P. Marvin ,&nbsp;Jos van Hillegersberg","doi":"10.1016/j.foohum.2025.100542","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foohum.2025.100542","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>In today's world, grappling with the dual challenges of energy scarcity and climate change, the agricultural and food supply chains are at a crucial juncture for transformation. Data privacy within these sectors is increasingly significant, as the integration of advanced digital platforms becomes essential for improving efficiency and sustainability.</div></div><div><h3>Scope and Approach</h3><div>This systematic literature review (SLR) explores the development and application of privacy-preserving data platforms specifically tailored to the agricultural and food supply chains. The review focuses on the evolving landscape of data architectures, data sovereignty, and advanced privacy-preserving techniques. Techniques such as anonymization, encryption, differential privacy, and federated learning are examined, along with the legal and ethical considerations surrounding data sharing in the context of global energy and climate-related challenges.</div></div><div><h3>Key Findings and Conclusions</h3><div>The review synthesizes findings from a broad spectrum of studies published over the last decade, uncovering significant advancements in privacy-preserving technologies which may show their benefit for the agricultural and food sectors. It identifies dominant research trends and promising future directions for enhancing data security and sustainability. The key findings underscore the vital importance of safeguarding data privacy in these sectors, highlighting the potential of advanced privacy techniques to protect sensitive agricultural data while balancing the need for transparency and operational effectiveness. The review concludes that adopting these innovative privacy methods is crucial for fostering a more sustainable and secure future for agriculture and food systems, contributing to the global Sustainable Development Goals such as SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) and SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) by improving precision agriculture, optimizing yields (crop and animal) and reducing food waste.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100543,"journal":{"name":"Food and Humanity","volume":"4 ","pages":"Article 100542"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143474322","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Food shopping is not a leisure activity: Consumer heuristics and their impact on the effectiveness of ecolabels on Australian dairy products","authors":"Adelaide Burstow ,&nbsp;Bradd G. Witt ,&nbsp;Courtney Thompson","doi":"10.1016/j.foohum.2025.100531","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foohum.2025.100531","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>There is an increasing interest in sustainability information and communication. Food industries, such as dairy, are under increasing pressure and scrutiny to demonstrate sustainability, leading to the use of communication tools, such as ecolabels, to provide environmental or ethical information for consumers via packaging. This study aimed to investigate how conscious consumers interact with and utilise ecolabels in their decision-making using bottled milk as an indicative dairy product. This was achieved using online semi-structured interviews (n = 16) that included a visual aide, allowing participants to observe and comment on the front and back labelling of six different milk bottles. This research found consumers do not view food shopping as a leisure activity, but rather as a necessary and menial task which they aim to complete as quickly as possible. Consumers, therefore aimed to streamline their decision-making process using heuristics such as brand, price, taste, and quality. Ecolabels were found to have little influence on conscious consumers choice of milk products largely due to participants expressing confusion and scepticism about the reliability and integrity of the information being communicated. As conscious consumers are the market segment most likely to engage with ecolabels, the fact they largely did not, in favour of other product information, highlights ecolabels in their current from are unlikely to be used by most consumer groups. Pairing ecolabels with trusted and developed consumer heuristics could aid in increasing consumer use of, and trust in, ecolabels.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100543,"journal":{"name":"Food and Humanity","volume":"4 ","pages":"Article 100531"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143463948","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Impact of Rift Valley fever outbreaks on food price index in Burundi: An interrupted time series analysis","authors":"Damaris Mulwa ,&nbsp;Benedicto Kazuzuru ,&nbsp;Gerald Misinzo ,&nbsp;Benard Bett","doi":"10.1016/j.foohum.2025.100530","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foohum.2025.100530","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The livestock sector contributes to one of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 2, which is zero hunger and affects all the four components of food security. For instance, the market price instability which is a component of food accessibility is majorly affected by unstable prices at the market, which are brought about by disease outbreaks. The main purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of the April 2022 Rift Valley fever (RVF) disease outbreaks on the food price index in Burundi using an Interrupted Time Series (ITS) analysis. The study estimated the impact of an intervention on an outcome variable for a single treatment group, when compared to a control group, and for multiple sequential interventions using the STATA software’s XTITSA command. The study found mixed evidence for the effectiveness of the intervention across the four regions namely Kirundo, Muyinga, Ngozi and Cibitoke. While Cibitoke displayed statistically significant improvements in both the starting level and pre-post trend, Muyinga only showed a significant effect in the starting level. Cibitoke exhibited a statistically significant increase in both initial level (+5.925, p<!--> <!-->&lt;<!--> <!-->0.05) and post-intervention trend (−1.172, p<!--> <!-->&lt;<!--> <!-->0.01), while Muyinga showed a significant effect in the starting level (+6.77, p<!--> <!-->&lt;<!--> <!-->0.01) but no significant trend shift. Kirundo and Ngozi showed no significant treatment effects. The average food price index across all regions was 8.94. The largest standard deviation (16.95) was found in Kirundo, indicating more significant fluctuations in food prices in that region. Kirundo and Ngozi exhibited statistically no significant treatment effects, potentially due to pre-existing differences in baseline levels and trends compared to Cibitoke. This highlights the importance of carefully selecting control groups with similar starting points and trajectories to ensure valid treatment effect estimates.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100543,"journal":{"name":"Food and Humanity","volume":"4 ","pages":"Article 100530"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143463975","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Anti-diabetic, lipid peroxidase, antimicrobial, anti-oxidant, general toxicity properties and polyphenol content of Psidium guajava, Garcinia quaesita, and Cinnamon verum extracts along with their potential as nutraceuticals","authors":"K.M.S.A.K. Dehideniya ,&nbsp;Vajira P. Bulugahapitiya ,&nbsp;R.S. Sabaragamuwa ,&nbsp;T.C. Kananke","doi":"10.1016/j.foohum.2025.100537","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foohum.2025.100537","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Sri Lanka has a rich Ayurvedic biodiversity and plant-based extracts have attracted significant interest due to their potential therapeutic properties. However, there is limited scientific evidence supporting their therapeutic effects. This study aims to evaluate the biological activities of extracts from selected plants for utilizing them in nutraceutical preparation. Aqueous extracts of <em>Psidium guajava</em> (Gu) leaves, <em>Cinnamon verum</em> bark (CB), <em>Cinnamon verum</em> leaves (CL), and <em>Garcinia quaesita</em> (Ga) leaves were prepared by sonication followed by freeze-drying. These extracts were screened <em>in vitro</em> for their anti-diabetic activity using alpha-glucosidase inhibition, lipid peroxidase using spectrophotometry, antibacterial properties using agar disk diffusion, and preliminary cytotoxicity using brine shrimp lethality assay. Total phenolic content (TPC) was determined using Folin-Ciocalteu spectrometric method, total flavonoid content (TFC) was determined using spectrophotometric method and antioxidant activity was assessed using ferric reducing antioxidant power assay (FRAP) and 2,2′-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging assays. The extracts that demonstrated the best results were combined to evaluate the synergistic effects of their combination. The results indicated that <em>P. guajava</em> exhibited the highest alpha-glucosidase inhibition activity, with an IC₅₀ value of 17.50 ± 0.40 ppm, compared to acarbose (IC₅₀ = 336.09 ± 0.32 ppm). In addition, <em>C. verum bark</em> demonstrated the most potent lipid peroxidase inhibition activity, with an IC₅₀ value of 229.85 ± 24.23 ppm, compared to the BHT standard (IC₅₀ 135.02 ± 9.28 ppm). Furthermore, CB showed the highest antibacterial activity against the selected bacterial strains (<em>Escherichia coli</em> ATCC 25922, <em>Staphylococcus aureus</em>, <em>Streptococcus pneumonia</em>, and <em>Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus</em>). With the exception for the <em>G. quaesita</em> extract, the other three extracts showed no general toxicity in the brine shrimp lethality assay. Gu extract showed elevated levels of TPC and TFC and measured at 136.88 ± 1.42 mg GAE/g and, 11.02 ± 0.22 mg quercetin/g, respectively. The CB extract demonstrated significantly high total antioxidant activity in the FRAP assay, yielding 174.92 ± 2.29 mg Trolox/g, and IC₅₀ value of 8.89 ± 0.31 ppm in the DPPH assay (compared to 126.40 ± 2.92 ppm for the ascorbic acid standard). In summary, the aqueous extracts from the leaves of <em>P. guajava</em> and the bark of <em>C. verum</em> have excellent functional properties. A combination of these plant extracts can enhance certain bio activities, indicating potential nutraceutical applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100543,"journal":{"name":"Food and Humanity","volume":"4 ","pages":"Article 100537"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143463976","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"From clay pots to commercial crowns: Marula beer as a promising exotic beverage for the 21st century","authors":"Edwin Hlangwani,&nbsp;Bhekisisa Dlamini","doi":"10.1016/j.foohum.2025.100535","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foohum.2025.100535","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The consumption of marula fruit (<em>Sclerocarya birrea</em>) beer has a long history in Southern Africa. For over 10,000 years, marula fruit beer has played a central role in the dietary, spiritual, and socio-cultural reality of low-income communities in South Africa, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Botswana, and the Kingdom of Eswatini. Given its high vitamin C content (two times the vitamin C content of oranges), antioxidants, and minerals, marula fruit, marula fruit juice, and marula fruit beer have been important sources of nutrients in rural areas. In recent decades, the production of marula fruit beer has transcended its cultural and social relevance, becoming a crucial economic driver by providing much-needed household income. Women have particularly benefited from the direct sale of the marula fruit to marula fruit liqueur producers such as Distell, and the informal trade of the beer to the local people. Seeing the potential to grow the market, a few marula fruit beer commercialisation attempts were made in the 1990s, albeit without much success. These past failures highlight the absence of comprehensive data on optimal standard processing procedures, nutritional composition, economic and export potential, societal relevance, microbial quality, and consumer safety. The consideration of each of these aspects is necessary for the successful commercialisation and market adoption of the beverage, locally and internationally. Thus, this study provided a comprehensive review of various aspects and properties that describe marula fruit beer fundamentally as an artisanal product with the potential to be a competitive exotic fruit alcoholic beverage in the niche market of fruit-based alcoholic drinks.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100543,"journal":{"name":"Food and Humanity","volume":"4 ","pages":"Article 100535"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143422490","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Factors influencing food safety and good manufacturing practices in ready-to-eat meat processing plants in Ontario, Canada: A qualitative study","authors":"Abhinand Thaivalappil ,&nbsp;Jiin Jung ,&nbsp;Fatih Sekercioglu ,&nbsp;Ian Young","doi":"10.1016/j.foohum.2025.100538","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foohum.2025.100538","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Inspections of ready-to-eat (RTE) meat processing plants in Canada have identified a lack of compliance with good manufacturing practices (GMPs), indicating a need to improve food safety practices to protect consumers. The objective was to conduct a qualitative study to explore factors influencing food safety practices and GMPs in meat processing plants. Semi-structured interviews and open-ended online surveys were conducted among RTE meat processing plant operators in Ontario, Canada. Across all 18 participants, most were owners (n = 9, 50 %) and indicated they had worked in their plant for more than 10 years (n = 10, 59 %). Three themes were generated through reflexive thematic analysis: (i) education, experience, strong core values, and positive attitudes contribute to safe and high-quality food production, (ii) day-to-day challenges are exacerbated by inadequate resources, changing regulations, and a fractured relationship with government, and (iii) on-the-ground changes are needed to improve plant productivity and reduce external hurdles. Operators from this study shared opportunities for improvement to tackle existing food safety challenges faced by the meat industry. These included facilitating dialogue with the government, providing program planning support, and increased professional development opportunities for meat operators. These findings can help shape government priorities as they pertain to meat processing plants, and support interventions aimed at improving food safety and GMPs in the RTE meat and poultry sector.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100543,"journal":{"name":"Food and Humanity","volume":"4 ","pages":"Article 100538"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143422487","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Additives for sustainable fruit packaging: A systematic review","authors":"Angelucia Gonçalves Parente ,&nbsp;Ana Caroliny de Souza ,&nbsp;Fernanda Silva Ferreira ,&nbsp;Henrique Sátiro Gama e Silva ,&nbsp;Sérgio Tonetto de Freitas ,&nbsp;Gabriela Lemos de Azevedo Maia ,&nbsp;David Fernando de Morais Neri","doi":"10.1016/j.foohum.2025.100534","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foohum.2025.100534","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Fruit packaging plays a crucial role in preserving quality, ensuring safety, extending shelf life, and reducing postharvest waste. This study systematically reviewed 316 studies conducted in 34 countries over the past six years to evaluate the role of additives in improving the structural and functional properties of packaging and their efficiency in maintaining fruit quality. The review focuses on three main packaging methods: direct fruit coating, fruit wrapping, and alternative approaches. A total of 83 types of chemical, physicochemical, biological, mechanical, and sensory tests were analyzed to assess the performance of these packaging systems. Key findings reveal innovations in active, edible, functional, intelligent, and sustainable packaging, with an emphasis on environmental sustainability and food safety. Notable additives, such as glycerol, essential oils, natural extracts, Tween, nanocellulose, silver nanoparticles, zinc oxide, and calcium chloride, demonstrated the ability to enhance film and coating properties, including elasticity, antimicrobial activity, and UV protection. These advancements contribute to the extension of shelf life across various fruit species, addressing global challenges in reducing food waste. This review highlights the systematic identification of trends, gaps, and opportunities in additive applications for fruit packaging, offering insights for the development of sustainable and effective packaging solutions. By consolidating diverse findings, this study provides a foundation for future innovations in the field, aligning with growing consumer demand for environmentally responsible and efficient postharvest technologies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100543,"journal":{"name":"Food and Humanity","volume":"4 ","pages":"Article 100534"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143453562","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}