A review on alizarin-added bio-based smart meat packaging sensors

Abstract Smart food packaging systems are essential to food quality management systems through tracking changes in physicochemical quality attributes with special attention placed on changes in pH level, because these are important for signifying spoilage. Alizarin, a natural pigment identified generally from Rubia cordifolia L., exhibits remarkable colour change properties with respect to pH change, making it an ideal colour indicator for use in smart packaging. The overall aim of the review was to capture current developments in alizarin-based bio-based films and nano-fibers with respect to the different fabrication states (i.e. solvent casting or electrospinning) that were employed. Alizarin derived films were reported to have improved mechanical, thermal, barrier, and antimicrobial properties as well as serve as a real-time sensor for meat quality that provided meat freshness. Although natural dye-based indicators have aroused interest in the literature, no systematic review of alizarin’s multi-functional in smart meat packaging systems had been accomplished. The review provided some assessment of the progress in the alizarin bio-based film literature, as well as an examination of the fabrication strategies (i.e. solvent casting or electrospinning), functional benefits (e.g. mechanical, thermal, barrier, and antimicrobial), and end-use (e.g. meat freshness) of alizarin-based materials. The review summarizes current knowledge with the intention of providing pathways for future development in sustainable, active, and intelligent technologies for meat packaging.