Trends in Food Science & Technology最新文献

{"title":"Trends in honey spray drying: A comprehensive analysis of drying conditions, process optimization, physicochemical properties, honey powder enrichment and industrial applications","authors":"Rahul Yadav ,&nbsp;Sarang Aralkar ,&nbsp;K.V. Prasad ,&nbsp;D.M. Firake ,&nbsp;Pramod Aradwad ,&nbsp;D.V.S. Raju ,&nbsp;Shivakumar Kv","doi":"10.1016/j.tifs.2025.105508","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tifs.2025.105508","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Spray drying has emerged as a critical technology for converting honey into a stable powder form, addressing challenges related to its high moisture content and stickiness of honey. This review focuses on advances in spray drying technology applied to honey, highlighting its importance in preserving honey's nutritional and therapeutic properties while increasing its suitability for a wider range of industrial applications.</div></div><div><h3>Scope and approach</h3><div>This review highlights recent advancements in honey spray drying, emphasizing improvements in drying conditions, process optimization, carrier selection, and powder quality. Key physicochemical properties including moisture content, flowability, glass transition behavior, and antioxidant retention are discussed in relation to processing variables. Challenges such as stickiness, clumping, and thermal degradation are explored alongside emerging technological solutions including ultrasonic atomization, dehumidified-air drying, and vacuum spray drying.</div></div><div><h3>Key findings and conclusions</h3><div>Optimizing spray drying parameters such as inlet/outlet temperatures, feed concentrations, and carrier agents has a significant impact on honey powder quality and stability. The effective use of carrier agents such as maltodextrin and gum arabic reduces stickiness and improves flowability. The enrichment techniques facilitate the development of functional honey powders with additional health benefits. The honey powder has a wide range of industrial applications, including food, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics, underlining its increasing demand. Future research should focus on enhanced drying techniques, innovative carriers, and environmental sustainability to improve the efficiency and scalability of honey spray drying methods.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":441,"journal":{"name":"Trends in Food Science & Technology","volume":"168 ","pages":"Article 105508"},"PeriodicalIF":15.4,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145837040","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":"Molecular interactions of biopolymers during high-moisture extrusion and their impacts on micro- and macrostructural properties of plant-based meat analogues: a review","authors":"Guido Rolandelli ,&nbsp;Mia Eeckhout","doi":"10.1016/j.tifs.2025.105507","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tifs.2025.105507","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>In recent years, interest in meat analogues (MA) produced through high-moisture extrusion (HME) has increased for the obtention of high-quality plant-based foods with a similar appearance and textural properties of meat-derived foods. Research has mainly focused on evaluating how the processing conditions and the incorporation of other food ingredients influence the physicochemical properties of the resulting products and enhance the fibrous structure formation, but the role of the molecular interactions in this process has not been addressed.</div></div><div><h3>Scope and approach</h3><div>This review examines molecular interactions between plant proteins and other biopolymers commonly included in MA formulations, particularly starch, lipids, fiber compounds, and hydrocolloids. These interactions are linked to conformational changes, protein rearrangement, and subsequent texturization and fiber formation. The relationships between the molecular interactions between biopolymers and physicochemical, textural, microstructural, and sensory properties of resulting MA are extensively discussed.</div></div><div><h3>Key findings and conclusion</h3><div>The findings highlight how molecular associations and protein-biopolymer interactions drive conformational changes that promote texturization and fibrous structure development. These interactions determine the microstructural features that shape macroscopic characteristics and organoleptic properties of MA. By linking molecular, microstructural, and sensory attributes, the review emphasizes the importance of understanding these relationships to optimize the design of plant-based meat alternatives with desirable texture and sensory qualities.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":441,"journal":{"name":"Trends in Food Science & Technology","volume":"168 ","pages":"Article 105507"},"PeriodicalIF":15.4,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145788157","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":"Multipurpose liposome-based food active packaging: Carrier characteristics, preparation methods, and applications in freshness preservation","authors":"Jiaxin Li ,&nbsp;Tingting Li ,&nbsp;Caie Wu ,&nbsp;Gongjian Fan ,&nbsp;Dandan Zhou ,&nbsp;Xiaojing Li ,&nbsp;Yiqing Zhu","doi":"10.1016/j.tifs.2025.105470","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tifs.2025.105470","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>At present, wildly used food packaging is harmful to environment, and preservatives in active packaging are difficult to be loaded stably and release continuously, which restricts the development of green multifunctional active packaging. However, developing novel liposome-based active packaging is regarded as an effective method to enhance the bioactivity of preservatives, the performance of packaging materials, and the effectiveness of food preservation.</div></div><div><h3>Scope and approach</h3><div>This article discusses the multiple advantages of liposomes as carriers of active agents and their positive impact on packaging materials. It introduces the preparation methods of liposome-based active packaging and the latest research progress in food preservation applications. Furthermore, it also reveals the future development trends of liposome-based active packaging and the potential challenges that may be encountered in its further development.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Liposomes can be used to encapsulate hydrophilic/hydrophobic compounds, or to simultaneously encapsulate compounds with different hydrophilicities. As a non-toxic, biodegradable carrier, liposomes can stably encapsulate their contents and possess the capability for sustained or controlled release of these contents. These make liposomes an excellent carrier choice for active packaging. In addition, the incorporation of liposomes enhances the physicochemical properties and functional characteristics of packaging materials, making liposome-based packaging suitable for preserving diverse foods, as well as exhibiting outstanding performance. In the future, the further development of composite liposome-based active packaging with diverse packaging forms and multiple functions is pending.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":441,"journal":{"name":"Trends in Food Science & Technology","volume":"168 ","pages":"Article 105470"},"PeriodicalIF":15.4,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145735348","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":"Can Vaccinium L. berries be considered sustainable microbiota-targeted dietary interventions? A critical synthesis of current trends and human clinical evidence","authors":"Denisia Paşca ,&nbsp;Oleg Frumuzachi ,&nbsp;Oana Mîrza ,&nbsp;Laura Gavrilaş ,&nbsp;Dan Cristian Vodnar ,&nbsp;Lara Manyes ,&nbsp;Felicia Loghin","doi":"10.1016/j.tifs.2025.105517","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tifs.2025.105517","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div><em>Vaccinium</em> L. berries are rich sources of anthocyanins and proanthocyanidins, compounds proposed to modulate the human gut microbiota. Although numerous clinical studies investigated these effects, the evidence derived from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) remains fragmented, and no systematic synthesis has yet been conducted.</div></div><div><h3>Scope and approach</h3><div>To evaluate the clinical evidence on how <em>Vaccinium</em> berries intake influences gut microbiota diversity and composition. In this regard, a comprehensive search was conducted to identify RCTs reporting microbiota outcomes following <em>Vaccinium</em> berries supplementation, with data extracted using a standardized protocol and risk of bias assessed using the Cochrane RoB 2 tool.</div></div><div><h3>Key findings and conclusions</h3><div>Fourteen RCTs met the inclusion criteria. Interventions involved cranberry (n = 6), blueberry (n = 5), bilberry (n = 2), and a cranberry-lingonberry blend (n = 1), administered as solids (1.1–36 g/day) or beverages (240–480 mL/day) for 5 days to 24 weeks. Across trials (some concerns to high risk of bias), α- and β-diversity rarely differed from controls. Compositional effects were modest and taxon-specific, with recurrent (though not consistently) enrichment of some taxa (e.g. <em>Bifidobacterium</em> spp., <em>Faecalibacterium prausnitzii</em>, <em>Anaerostipes</em>, <em>Lachnospira</em>, <em>Adlercreutzia</em>), while many commonly targeted taxa remained stable. Overall, current evidence indicated that <em>Vaccinium</em> berries intake may selectively support a narrow subset of potentially beneficial taxa but does not consistently remodel global gut microbiota. Accordingly, future studies should be longer and methodologically more comprehensive, with detailed phytochemical characterization, population-specific analyses, and comprehensive profiling of bacterial and non-bacterial communities using integrated multi-omics approaches and metagenome-assembled genomes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":441,"journal":{"name":"Trends in Food Science & Technology","volume":"168 ","pages":"Article 105517"},"PeriodicalIF":15.4,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145881106","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":"Physical properties as the key bridge from structure-activity relationship to AI-guided rational design of food-derived bioactive peptides: A systematic review","authors":"Huizhen Xing,&nbsp;Huimin Dong,&nbsp;Chengzhi Guo,&nbsp;Zhigao Wang,&nbsp;Rong He","doi":"10.1016/j.tifs.2025.105483","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tifs.2025.105483","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>The development of food-derived bioactive peptides (BAPs) is hindered by a critical translational challenge: numerous peptides with demonstrated efficacy in vitro show limited activity in vivo or face difficulties in integration into food products. This disconnect stems from a fundamental knowledge gap, specifically the absence of a systematic framework that connects peptide structure to dynamic function through their underlying physicochemical properties. This gap severely impedes the field's progression from empirical discovery towards rational design for targeted applications in functional foods and nutraceuticals.</div></div><div><h3>Scope and approach</h3><div>To bridge this gap, this review introduces a novel framework centered on the pivotal role of physical properties in connecting peptide structure to function and application. Its approach is twofold: first, by systematically delineating how five key properties (molecular weight, charge, conformational stability, solubility, and permeability) govern functionality, absorption, and food matrix compatibility; and second, by synthesizing progress in leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to decode complex structure-property-function relationships, thereby paving the way for the accelerated design of optimized peptides.</div></div><div><h3>Key findings and conclusions</h3><div>Analysis reveals that molecular weight dictates absorption pathways and bioactive mechanisms, while charge characteristics master-regulate target interactions, solubility, and stability. Conformational stability is identified as a prerequisite for high-affinity binding, and the solubility-permeability balance emerges as the critical bottleneck for oral bioavailability. The integrated optimization of these properties, empowered by AI, is shown to enable the rational development of next-generation peptide-based ingredients with tailored functions and enhanced efficacy. This work introduces the pivotal perspective that physical properties constitute the essential nexus for understanding BAP behavior. Key challenges identified include navigating the solubility-permeability trade-off, developing AI models capable of predicting higher-order structural behavior, and achieving multi-objective optimization that simultaneously balances bioactivity, stability, and sensory attributes for successful food application.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":441,"journal":{"name":"Trends in Food Science & Technology","volume":"168 ","pages":"Article 105483"},"PeriodicalIF":15.4,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145788215","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":"Unravelling the chemistry of PFAS transfer from packaging to food","authors":"Bhawna Bisht ,&nbsp;Shivani Dimri ,&nbsp;Mikhail S. Vlaskin ,&nbsp;Alexey A. Dmitriev ,&nbsp;Monu Verma ,&nbsp;Arun Kumar ,&nbsp;Krishna Aayush ,&nbsp;Hyunook Kim ,&nbsp;Vinod Kumar","doi":"10.1016/j.tifs.2025.105467","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tifs.2025.105467","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) pose significant risks to both human health and the environment. One of their common applications is in food packaging, which serves as a direct source of human exposure. The migration of PFAS from food packaging into food is a chemically complex and context-dependent process that has significant implications for public health and environmental safety.</div></div><div><h3>Scope and approach</h3><div>This review explores PFAS chemistry, migration from food packaging and factors involved in the migration of PFAS from food contact materials (FCM) into food.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>The migration of PFAS from food packaging into food is a chemically complex that has significant health implications. Currently, highly sensitive and specific methods like LC-MS/MS have been approved by FDA for food and feed and EPA for water. With PFAS levels varying globally, emerging tools, including ML algorithms and advanced analytical techniques, are increasingly applied for detection, monitoring, and toxicity assessment, underscoring the need for harmonized regulations and coordinated international efforts to safeguard public health.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":441,"journal":{"name":"Trends in Food Science & Technology","volume":"168 ","pages":"Article 105467"},"PeriodicalIF":15.4,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145735401","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":"Rethinking food protein amyloid fibrils: Safe nanomaterials unlocking emerging functional applications","authors":"Zhiyang Du,&nbsp;Yijin Wang,&nbsp;Xi Chen,&nbsp;Jingbo Liu,&nbsp;Shanglin Li,&nbsp;Ting Zhang,&nbsp;Yajuan Li","doi":"10.1016/j.tifs.2025.105463","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tifs.2025.105463","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Food protein amyloid fibrils (FPAFs), distinguished by their highly ordered β-sheet architectures and remarkable mechanical rigidity, have long been overlooked within the food industry due to their structural resemblance to amyloid proteins associated with neurodegenerative diseases. However, emerging evidence demonstrates that FPAFs formed under controlled conditions are structurally stable, safety, biocompatible, and digestible, positioning them as compelling candidates for next-generation functional biomaterials. With biosafety increasingly validated, FPAFs are now at the center of a rapidly expanding landscape of innovations in food science, materials chemistry, and biomedicine. Nonetheless, a comprehensive and systematic evaluation of their safety and application frontiers remains lacking.</div></div><div><h3>Scope and approach</h3><div>This review systematically examines FPAFs, focusing on their structural characteristics and factors governing their formation. Particular emphasis is placed on evaluating their biosafety, digestibility, and relevant regulatory considerations. We also highlight their emerging applications in food science, materials chemistry, and biomedical fields.</div></div><div><h3>Key findings and conclusions</h3><div>FPAFs formation is a multistep, self-assembling process governed by a complex interplay of thermodynamic driving forces and kinetic constraints, yielding highly ordered, β-sheet-rich nanofibrils with high aspect ratios and mechanical rigidity. Distinct from pathological fibrils, evidence from cellular, animal, and digestive models supports their safety, digestibility, and biocompatibility. Importantly, their functional applications span gels, emulsion stabilization, iron fortification, biodegradable packaging, plant-based meat, tissue engineering, and environmental sustainability. Finally, we comprehensively discuss the prospective applications of FPAFs in the food industry, current limitations, and strategies for mainstream adoption, providing a roadmap to expand the functional utility of these versatile nanomaterials.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":441,"journal":{"name":"Trends in Food Science & Technology","volume":"168 ","pages":"Article 105463"},"PeriodicalIF":15.4,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145665617","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":"Next-generation strategies for designing cultured fat with enhanced flavor and functionality","authors":"Hyun Young Jung ,&nbsp;Minsu Kim ,&nbsp;Cheorun Jo","doi":"10.1016/j.tifs.2025.105525","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tifs.2025.105525","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Cultured meat has emerged as a sustainable alternative to conventional animal agriculture, addressing ethical and environmental concerns. However, because sensory/tasting studies are still limited, consumer acceptance is expected to depend on achieving high sensory fidelity, particularly in flavor, texture, and juiciness. Fat is a critical determinant of meat's sensory quality, influencing aroma generation, mouthfeel, and the release of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) during cooking. At the molecular level, meat aroma arises from VOCs generated during heating via lipid oxidation of fatty acids and via reactions between lipid-derived carbonyls and amino groups, alongside protein–lipid interactions that modulate these pathways. Unlike the structural and chemical complexity of animal fat, many plant- and cell-based analogs rely on simplified lipids such as coconut or palm oil, limiting replication of authentic sensory experiences.</div></div><div><h3>Scope and approach</h3><div>This review reframes fat as a programmable design platform rather than a passive ingredient in cultured meat. We summarize the molecular basis of flavor formation from fat, detailing how fatty acid saturation class, lipid oxidation, and protein–lipid interactions contribute to VOC profiles. We examine how metabolic engineering of adipocytes can tailor fatty acid profiles to balance lipid types and enhance flavor precursors and nutrition. Scaffold-based engineering is discussed as a means of controlling adipose tissue architecture, affecting heat transfer and VOC diffusion. This review integrates insights from lipid biosynthesis, thermochemical behavior, scaffold science, and sensory evaluation, and considers enabling technologies such as machine learning for flavor prediction.</div></div><div><h3>Key findings and conclusions</h3><div>By strategically combining metabolic engineering, scaffold design, and sensory science, cultured fat can be engineered to mimic the functional, chemical, and structural traits of animal fat. Aligning lipid composition with oxidative stability and the surrounding protein context can bias VOC formation toward desirable meaty aromas while mitigating off-notes. This approach offers the potential to overcome flavor and texture limitations in current meat analogs, enhancing consumer acceptance. Future progress will depend on the integration of biotechnological innovation with sensory-driven design frameworks, paving the way for cultured meat that meets sustainability and sensory goals.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":441,"journal":{"name":"Trends in Food Science & Technology","volume":"168 ","pages":"Article 105525"},"PeriodicalIF":15.4,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145881108","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":"Response to the letter to the editor by de Aguiar Freire et al. (2025) on “Consumer behaviour toward \"smart\" food labels: A systematic literature review using the Technology Acceptance Model” (Bonioli & Bazzani, 2025) in Trends in Food Science & Technology","authors":"Marta Bonioli,&nbsp;Claudia Bazzani","doi":"10.1016/j.tifs.2025.105469","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tifs.2025.105469","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This letter responds to the correspondence by de Aguiar Freire et al. (2025) regarding our article <em>“Consumer behaviour toward ‘smart’ food labels: A systematic literature review using the Technology Acceptance Model”</em> (Trends in Food Science &amp; Technology, 165, 105256). In this letter, we further develop the discussion on systematic literature reviews in the food consumer behaviour domain, addressing issues ranging from the use of quality assessment tools and risk of bias to the application of temporal and language limitations. We also clarify our use of an extended framework of the Technology Acceptance Model as a means to categorize the existing literature on consumer behaviour toward smart food labelling. In addition, we encourage further conceptual debate on the distinction between smart labels and smart packaging. Finally, we call for future literature reviews to adopt a meta-analytic approach to further investigate the factors that may shape consumers' perceptions, preferences, and adoption of this emerging technology, especially in comparison with more traditional labelling formats.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":441,"journal":{"name":"Trends in Food Science & Technology","volume":"168 ","pages":"Article 105469"},"PeriodicalIF":15.4,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145788153","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":"Multifunctional whey protein composite films: Material design and AI integration for next-generation food packaging","authors":"Qi Xin ,&nbsp;Meishuai Liu ,&nbsp;Ruonan Wang ,&nbsp;Peng Du ,&nbsp;Jia Song ,&nbsp;Libo Liu ,&nbsp;Chun Li ,&nbsp;Qi Wang ,&nbsp;Yongping Bao","doi":"10.1016/j.tifs.2025.105502","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tifs.2025.105502","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The global food industry's reliance on petroleum-based plastics poses severe environmental and health risks, underscored by the pervasive accumulation of microplastics in ecosystems and the human body. Whey protein(WP), an abundant and biodegradable dairy byproduct, has emerged as a promising material for sustainable food packaging. This review comprehensively examines the development of whey protein-based film(WPF), with a focus on overcoming the inherent limitations, such as hydrophilicity and moisture sensitivity, through advanced modification strategies. Key advancements include multi-scale interface engineering via polymer blending and nanofiller incorporation to optimize mechanical and barrier properties; the integration of plant-derived bioactive components to impart antimicrobial and antioxidant functionalities; and the formation of nanocomposites to introduce novel optical and responsive traits. Furthermore, we objectively evaluate the frontier of intelligent packaging, where the integration of environmentally responsive WPF with artificial intelligence(AI) algorithms enables real-time food freshness monitoring and dynamic preservation control. The synergy between material science and AI is transforming WPF from passive barriers into active, intelligent platforms. This review synthesizes these research streams to provide a foundation for the transition of WPF from laboratory innovation to practical, next-generation food packaging solutions, ultimately addressing the dual challenges of food preservation and plastic pollution.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":441,"journal":{"name":"Trends in Food Science & Technology","volume":"168 ","pages":"Article 105502"},"PeriodicalIF":15.4,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145788219","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}