Novel insights into phage-based films and coatings: Innovative solutions for active food packaging systems

Foodborne pathogen contamination is a major global health concern, demanding innovative solutions. Unlike traditional packaging, which serves only as a barrier, active packaging operates by preventing the growth of foodborne pathogens within the package environment. Among the active agents employed in such packaging, bacteriophages have been proposed as biological control agents in the food sector to eliminate biofilms and spoilage bacteria. Recently, their incorporation as additives into biodegradable packaging has been gaining prominence for preserving food's sensory and nutritional qualities, unlike conventional antibacterial agents. In addition, due to their host specificity, they selectively destroy foodborne pathogens and do not affect beneficial organisms. The efficacy of bacteriophages integrated into films and coatings against prevalent foodborne pathogens such as S. aureus, E. coli, and L. monocytogenes has been investigated across diverse food matrices. Recent research shows that polyvalent bacteriophages or bacteriophage cocktails can overcome the limitation of narrow host range in antimicrobial packaging systems. Additionally, using bacteriophages alongside natural antimicrobials such as bacteriocins and essential oils can synergistically enhance active packaging systems. As an alternative to the utilization of whole bacteriophage particles, their derivative enzymes present an innovative approach for the biocontrol of foodborne pathogens and the development of effective antimicrobial packaging. Likewise, advances in fields such as artificial intelligence and synthetic biology have improved the effectiveness of these viral entities in combating foodborne pathogenic bacteria. The present review highlights advancements in bacteriophage-incorporated films and coatings for packaging applications. Furthermore, this study reviewed the factors that influence the effectiveness of bacteriophage-based packaging.