Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety最新文献

{"title":"Nonuniformity in Multi‑Physical Field Drying of Fruits and Vegetables: Mechanisms, Cascade Amplification, and Artificial Intelligence–Driven Control","authors":"Yabin Feng,&nbsp;Yao Wang,&nbsp;Kui Suo,&nbsp;Jixian Zhang,&nbsp;Zhenfeng Yang,&nbsp;Chaoting Wen","doi":"10.1111/1541-4337.70673","DOIUrl":"10.1111/1541-4337.70673","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Nonuniformity is the most critical yet unresolved bottleneck limiting the industrial adoption of multi-physical field drying (microwave, radio frequency, infrared, and ultrasound) for fruits and vegetables. While individual physical field technologies and AI applications have been reviewed separately, a conceptual framework that explains how nonuniformity originates, amplifies, and can be intelligently controlled is currently lacking. This review provides a problem-driven analysis of nonuniformity in physical field drying, proposing a three-stage cascade framework (Initiation → Amplification → Termination) to elucidate the multi-scale coupling between microscopic energy defects and macroscopic quality failure. We further critically evaluate the transition from black-box artificial intelligence (AI) modeling to advanced closed-loop intelligent control strategies involving physics-informed neural networks (PINNs) and digital twins, structured along a perception–prediction–control paradigm. The cascade framework reveals that initial minor heterogeneities are self-reinforced through positive feedback loops, necessitating early-warning prediction. AI-driven adaptive control, coupled with synergistic cross-field designs, may provide opportunities to interrupt this amplification process at early stages. We provide a strategic roadmap emphasizing multimodal sensing and physics-based hybrid modeling to achieve precision, uniformity, and sustainability in next-generation industrial drying systems. This review offers a distinctive problem‑oriented perspective that complements prior technology‑centric surveys by placing nonuniformity as the central narrative and offering a conceptual framework for its prediction and control.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":155,"journal":{"name":"Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety","volume":"25 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":15.6,"publicationDate":"2026-10-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149178316","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":"Recent Advances in Cushioning Materials for Postharvest Application: Material Sources, Fabrication Techniques, and Mitigation of Mechanical Damage","authors":"Nanfeng Tan,&nbsp;Zhenbiao Li,&nbsp;Wenmin Zhang,&nbsp;Weiting Yang,&nbsp;Zhaoyun Ma,&nbsp;Ye Song,&nbsp;Zisheng Luo,&nbsp;Yanqun Xu","doi":"10.1111/1541-4337.70670","DOIUrl":"10.1111/1541-4337.70670","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Mechanical damage caused by vibration, impact, and compression during postharvest handling, transportation, and distribution is one of the main factors leading to losses and quality deterioration of fruits and vegetables. Cushioning packaging has therefore become an effective strategy for mitigating mechanical damage and maintaining produce quality. However, most conventional cushioning materials are petroleum-based plastics. With increasing environmental pollution and growing demands for sustainable development, the development of renewable and potentially lower-impact cushioning packaging materials has become an important research focus. This review provides an overview of recent advances in cushioning materials for fruit and vegetable transportation. The physiological and biochemical changes and associated quality deterioration of fruits and vegetables under mechanical stress are analyzed, including bruising, firmness loss, water loss, metabolic disturbance, changes in bioactive compounds, and decay development. The effectiveness of different cushioning systems in mitigating mechanical damage and maintaining postharvest quality is also discussed. The major raw materials used in cushioning packaging are classified according to their plant-based, animal-based, synthetic, and inorganic origins, and their functional properties and roles within material systems are summarized. In addition, the main fabrication methods are compared in terms of structure formation, mechanical performance, advantages, limitations, processing requirements, and industrial feasibility. Current challenges related to production cost, scalability, humidity sensitivity, food-contact safety, recyclability, regulatory requirements, and life cycle sustainability are further considered. This review provides a theoretical basis and practical reference for the future development and customized design of cushioning packaging materials with improved performance.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":155,"journal":{"name":"Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety","volume":"25 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":15.6,"publicationDate":"2026-10-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149178235","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":"Biofilm-Mediated Persistence of Salmonella in Poultry Processing: A Comprehensive Review of Isolate Heterogeneity, Stress Adaptation, and Antimicrobial Resistance","authors":"Md Anamul Hasan Chowdhury,&nbsp;Chowdhury Sanat Anjum Reem,&nbsp;Md Furkanur Rahaman Mizan,&nbsp;Md. Ashrafudoulla,&nbsp;Sang-Do Ha","doi":"10.1111/1541-4337.70674","DOIUrl":"10.1111/1541-4337.70674","url":null,"abstract":"<p><i>Salmonella enterica</i> remains a major foodborne pathogen in poultry-processing environments, where its persistence is largely attributed to biofilm formation on food-contact and non-food-contact surfaces. Despite extensive research on <i>Salmonella</i> control, persistent contamination continues to challenge food safety due to the complex interplay among isolate-specific traits, stress adaptation, and antimicrobial resistance (AMR). This review critically examines the phenotypic and genotypic determinants associated with Salmonella biofilm formation and evaluates their contributions to persistence, stress adaptation, and AMR. Emerging evidence also indicates that mixed-species interactions, particularly with <i>Pseudomonas</i> spp., can influence biofilm architecture, stress tolerance, and the long-term persistence of <i>Salmonella</i> in poultry-processing environments. Particular attention is given to processing-associated stresses, including temperature fluctuations, desiccation, nutrient limitation, and sublethal sanitizer exposure, which can induce adaptive responses that enhance biofilm development, promote persistence, and increase tolerance to antimicrobial interventions. The review further evaluates current detection approaches, including viability-based quantification methods such as digital droplet PCR, and discusses their limitations and applications in identifying and quantifying biofilm-associated and viable but nonculturable (VBNC) populations within processing environments. Existing control measures are assessed with emphasis on the challenges posed by mature biofilms and adaptive resistance mechanisms. Emerging antibiofilm technologies, including enzymatic treatments, bacteriophages, and UV-LED systems, are also examined for their potential industrial implementation. By integrating current knowledge on biofilm biology, stress adaptation, and AMR, this review provides a framework for developing targeted and sustainable strategies to mitigate <i>Salmonella</i> persistence in poultry-processing environments.</p>","PeriodicalId":155,"journal":{"name":"Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety","volume":"25 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":15.6,"publicationDate":"2026-10-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13658585/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149163694","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Sources, Transmission, and Control of Salmonella in Vertically Integrated Broiler Chicken Production: Farm, Hatchery, and Processing Plant","authors":"Deepak Subedi,&nbsp;Bharath Mallavarapu,&nbsp;Pranita Patil,&nbsp;Abhisek Niraula,&nbsp;Milan Kandel,&nbsp;Sanjay Kumar,&nbsp;Amit Kumar Singh","doi":"10.1111/1541-4337.70661","DOIUrl":"10.1111/1541-4337.70661","url":null,"abstract":"<p><i>Salmonella</i> remains one of the most important foodborne pathogens associated with poultry products, despite substantial progress in processing hygiene and antimicrobial interventions. This review critically examines the sources, transmission routes, and control strategies for <i>Salmonella</i> in vertically integrated broiler production systems. Attention is given to contamination originating from breeder flocks, hatcheries, feed, water, litter, grow-out farms, transport, processing environments, and finished products. Preharvest interventions, including biosecurity, breeder and hatchery control, vaccination, litter and water management, feed hygiene, probiotics, prebiotics, organic acids, essential oils, bacteriophages, and bacteriocins, are evaluated according to mechanism, evidence strength, and commercial relevance. Postharvest interventions, including scalding, picking, evisceration control, chilling, peroxyacetic acid application, carcass rinses, post-chill treatments, and finished-product verification, are reviewed in relation to microbial reduction and process control. The review also discusses quantitative bio-mapping, surveillance design, whole-genome sequencing, predictive modeling, and quantitative microbial risk assessment as tools for identifying contamination hotspots, persistent strains, and high-risk control points. Overall, effective <i>Salmonella</i> control requires coordinated preharvest and postharvest strategies supported by routine verification, stronger flock-to-product traceability, and field validation of interventions under commercial conditions.</p>","PeriodicalId":155,"journal":{"name":"Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety","volume":"25 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":15.6,"publicationDate":"2026-10-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13654052/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149163877","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Decoupling Flavor From Spoilage: A Microbial and Chemical Framework for Volatile Sulfur Compounds and Biogenic Amines in Washed-Rind and Aged Cheeses","authors":"Mati Ullah Khan,&nbsp;Jiaqi Tian,&nbsp;Shun Wang,&nbsp;Shuang Liu,&nbsp;Jingshun Yang,&nbsp;Rui Zhang,&nbsp;Anum Farid,&nbsp;Arzaq Shamlan,&nbsp;Hongliang Liu,&nbsp;Zhiwei Chen","doi":"10.1111/1541-4337.70672","DOIUrl":"10.1111/1541-4337.70672","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Ripened washed-rind and long-ripened cheeses owe their prized sulfurous, savory character to intensive proteolysis and amino-acid catabolism; the same activity, when poorly controlled, also generates sensory off-flavors and toxic biogenic amines (BAs). Histamine and tyramine reach up to approximately 2000–2500 and 1000–2000 mg/kg in extreme samples, although most cheeses contain far less, so that a 30-g portion of a high-histamine cheese can exceed the 50-mg per-meal intake regarded as without adverse effect in healthy adults. Flavor formation and chemical safety have traditionally been studied apart. This critical review reframes them as two outcomes of one metabolism: Proteolysis liberates a shared free amino-acid pool from which volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs) and BAs arise. Because the principal VSCs derive from methionine whereas the major BAs derive from histidine, tyrosine, ornithine, arginine, and lysine, we treat the branches not as direct competitors for one substrate but as metabolically coupled fates linked by shared proteolytic supply, overlapping physicochemical controls and microbial cross-feeding. Integrating evidence across cheese families, we reclassify the ripening microbiota into condition-dependent functional guilds, formalize metabolic bivalence (organisms that both generate flavor and degrade amines), and define a sensory inflection point separating the windowed VSC dose–response from the monotonic BA hazard. We critically appraise multi-omics, volatilomics, biosensors, machine learning, and digital twins, and outline a precision-fermentation roadmap. Current, largely in vitro, and single-variety evidence is consistent with, but does not establish, controllable decoupling, which we frame as a testable hypothesis that recasts cheese quality as a controllable metabolic-allocation problem.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":155,"journal":{"name":"Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety","volume":"25 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":15.6,"publicationDate":"2026-10-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149167323","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":"Formation and Stability of Food Emulsions: A Review through the Lens of the Oil Phase","authors":"Qianting Liu,&nbsp;Dandan Zhu,&nbsp;Yiting Zou,&nbsp;Suyu Ouyang,&nbsp;Zhiming Gao,&nbsp;Katsuyoshi Nishinari,&nbsp;Yanlei Li,&nbsp;Wenxin Jiang,&nbsp;Yuehan Wu,&nbsp;Dan Yuan","doi":"10.1111/1541-4337.70669","DOIUrl":"10.1111/1541-4337.70669","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Emulsions serve vital roles in the food industry, including structural design and delivery of functional components. As thermodynamically unstable systems, emulsions undergo various destabilization processes over time. Therefore, understanding the instability mechanisms of emulsions and how to combat them have been long-term research topics. Although extensive research has focused on the impacts of the aqueous phase and emulsifiers on emulsion stability, the regulatory role of the oil phase has long been undervalued, and the underlying mechanisms remain to be fully elucidated. This review mainly summarizes the influence of the oil phase on the formation and stability of food emulsions based on reported research, aiming to provide useful principles and rational references for future research. We focus on destabilization phenomena and mechanisms, as well as the effects of the physicochemical properties of the oil phase, including polarity, carbon chain length, degree of unsaturation, oxidation state, and other physical attributes such as density, viscosity, and water solubility. From a multi-scale perspective, we discuss the mechanisms by which the oil phase regulates emulsion formation and stability, including the adsorption kinetics, interfacial thickness, and interfacial rheological properties of emulsifiers, as well as the droplet size distribution and zeta potential of emulsions. In addition, the adaptability of various emulsifiers with specific oil phases is discussed, with emphasis on challenging systems including volatile essential oils, oxidation-prone polyunsaturated lipids, and aerated emulsions. This review highlights the pivotal role of the oil phase and provides a theoretical basis for the rational design and quality control of food emulsions.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":155,"journal":{"name":"Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety","volume":"25 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":15.6,"publicationDate":"2026-10-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149126365","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":"Beyond Bactericidal: Plasma Surface Engineering to Defeat Food Matrix-Conditioning Layers","authors":"Rafael Bianchini Fulindi,&nbsp;Argemiro Soares da Silva Sobrinho,&nbsp;Anderson S. Sant'Ana","doi":"10.1111/1541-4337.70663","DOIUrl":"10.1111/1541-4337.70663","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The persistence of foodborne pathogens on industrial food contact surfaces continues to challenge global food safety despite advances in sanitation technologies. A central limitation of current antimicrobial strategies lies in their validation under simplified laboratory conditions that overlook the physicochemically driven formation of food matrix conditioning films. Upon contact with food residues, organic macromolecules reorganize at the solid‒liquid interface, forming conditioning layers that mask engineered surface functionalities and facilitate microbial attachment. This review examines how such interfacial transformations constrain conventional bactericidal approaches and contribute to sanitization failures in industrial environments. Plasma surface engineering is evaluated as a matrix-aware strategy capable of tailoring surface energy, hydration behavior, and nanoscale architecture through plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition and magnetron sputtering. These approaches may mitigate organic fouling and modulate bacterial surface sensing under controlled conditions. Particular attention is given to mechanotransduction pathways implicated in early biofilm formation, highlighting how nanoscale surface cues influence c-di-GMP signaling and biofilm commitment in both Gram-negative and Gram-positive foodborne pathogens, including <i>Salmonella</i> spp. and <i>Listeria monocytogenes</i>. Significant translational gaps remain, including long-term durability under repeated cleaning-in-place cycles, antimicrobial transport through complex conditioning films, and adaptive tolerance under chronic exposure. This review situates plasma surface engineering within a preventive interfacial design framework, offering an evidence-based rationale for the development of food contact materials capable of meeting the durability, safety, and regulatory demands of modern processing environments.</p>","PeriodicalId":155,"journal":{"name":"Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety","volume":"25 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":15.6,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13628140/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149101660","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Functional Modification Strategies for Mushroom Proteins: Applications and Challenges","authors":"Tanuja Bisht,&nbsp;Pradeep Singh Negi","doi":"10.1111/1541-4337.70651","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/1541-4337.70651","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Mushrooms are a novel and sustainable source of dietary protein with potential applications in the food system. Proteins found in mushrooms have balanced amino acids along with moderate digestibility. Mushroom proteins have a wide range of applications, and they are currently being used as fortifiers, dairy alternatives, meat analogs, and as functional ingredients. However, the complex native structure of mushroom proteins limits their functional applications, such as solubility, emulsifiability, and foaming properties. The existing reviews primarily emphasize the nutritional, extraction, and bioactive aspects of mushrooms or mushroom by-products, whereas the present review discusses protein extraction methods, modification strategies, structure–function relationships, and industrial applications, as well as food product development using modified mushroom proteins. Various modification and processing strategies, such as ultrasound-assisted processing, enzymatic hydrolysis, and pH-shifting, have been explored to enhance the yield and functional characteristics, such as solubility, emulsification, and digestibility of mushroom proteins, and ∼90% protein solubility has been achieved in certain studies. The combined ultrasound (20 kHz, 100% amplitude, 5 min, continuous mode) and TGase treatment (TGase, 0.4% w/v) of <i>Trametes versicolor</i> protein showed the higher oil-holding capacity (2.09%) and foaming capacity (123.1%) compared to control (1.43% and 57.7%, respectively), whereas, the ultrasound in combination with pH (pH 12) showed better in vitro digestibility (93.72%) than control (81.15%). With proper technological advancements, mushroom proteins can serve as a low-cost, high-return solution that supports both human nutrition and sustainable agricultural growth. However, challenges such as large-scale production, process standardization, and commercial availability need future research to enable food applications.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":155,"journal":{"name":"Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety","volume":"25 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":15.6,"publicationDate":"2026-09-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149068259","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":"From Structural Heterogeneity to Photon Transport Simulation: A Comprehensive Review of Optical Nondestructive Evaluation in Multilayered Fruit and Vegetable Matrices","authors":"Mengyao Wang,&nbsp;Weijie Lan,&nbsp;Kang Tu,&nbsp;Yanmin Zhu,&nbsp;Yue Zhao,&nbsp;Leiqing Pan","doi":"10.1111/1541-4337.70667","DOIUrl":"10.1111/1541-4337.70667","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Optical nondestructive evaluation has become an indispensable tool for quality assessment in the food industry. Revealing light propagation mechanisms in multilayered fruit and vegetable tissues improves detection model accuracy and robustness. In fact, most natural and processed fruit and vegetable materials inherently exhibit layered structures, leading to inevitable deviations in optical signals interpretation and quality prediction. The complex structure and heterogeneous composition of fruit and vegetable matrices pose great challenges to light–tissue interaction analysis. This review summarizes the layer-specific differences in optical properties based on structural and compositional heterogeneity of fruit and vegetable matrices, using representative cases of other food matrices for comparison. It further addresses light propagation in multilayered fruit and vegetable tissues together with research on the optimization of detection parameters. Finally, a unified framework is proposed that integrates physicochemical properties, optical properties, and photon transport simulations to achieve mechanism-guided optimization for nondestructive detection. Notably, the advances of Monte Carlo (MC) simulation empowered by artificial intelligence (AI) are highlighted in denoising, accelerating computation, and improving prediction accuracy. AI-assisted MC simulation provides support for the efficient and high-precision prediction of light propagation in multilayer tissues, and lays a solid foundation for the progress of food photonics.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":155,"journal":{"name":"Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety","volume":"25 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":15.6,"publicationDate":"2026-09-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149079067","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":"Covalent Organic Frameworks in Smart Food Packaging: Advances, Challenges, and Future Prospects","authors":"Sara Esteghlal,&nbsp;Hossein Daneshgar,&nbsp;Navid Rabiee,&nbsp;Mohammadreza Khalesi","doi":"10.1111/1541-4337.70662","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/1541-4337.70662","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Food preservation challenges have positioned packaging as a rapidly evolving, innovation-driven field, with smart packaging offering transformative solutions. Among advanced materials, covalent organic frameworks (COFs) have attracted growing attention due to their permanent porosity, structural tunability, high surface area, and chemical stability. These features allow COFs to address critical needs in food packaging, including active barrier protection, antimicrobial action, and smart sensing of food freshness and spoilage. This review examines recent progress in applying COFs to food packaging, with particular focus on their ability to prolong shelf life and enable smart functionalities for real-time monitoring of food quality. Safety aspects, biocompatibility, recyclability, and biodegradability are also critically evaluated, as these remain key considerations for regulatory approval and industrial translation. Although current studies report minimal cytotoxicity, long-term toxicological assessments are still limited, underscoring the need for more comprehensive investigations. Looking forward, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) provide powerful tools for accelerating COF discovery and optimization. Their integration into COF design could streamline synthesis, improve scalability, and guide application-specific material development. COFs represent a promising new class of materials poised to advance the next generation of sustainable, functional, and smart food-packaging systems.</p>","PeriodicalId":155,"journal":{"name":"Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety","volume":"25 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":15.6,"publicationDate":"2026-09-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/1541-4337.70662","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149068239","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}