Molecular Hydrogen in Food Packaging and Preservation: Current Advances and Interdisciplinary Perspectives

ABSTRACT Molecular hydrogen (H 2 ) has emerged as a functional bioactive gas with exceptional diffusivity, selective radical‐scavenging ability, and proven biosafety, offering new opportunities for next‐generation food preservation technologies. Hydrogen‐based reducing atmosphere packaging (H 2 ‐RAP), which diverges from conventional modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) that passively suppresses spoilage through CO 2 , O 2 , and N 2 , provides on‐demand oxidative protection by directly regulating redox balance within food systems. This review critically evaluates the limitations of conventional MAP and develops a mechanistically discriminative framework for H 2 ‐RAP linking oxidative control to redox potential‐linked spoilage trajectories. It summarizes advances in headspace–matrix exchange, dissolution/partitioning and interfacial exchange, effective diffusivity ( D eff ), and retention/decay kinetics, together with controlled‐delivery architectures. The comparative analysis of different food categories demonstrates that H 2 ‐RAP effectively suppresses oxidation, microbial proliferation, and nutrient degradation at low and safe concentrations, thereby extending the shelf life of food products. Despite these advantages, the challenges of maintaining H 2 retention, optimizing release kinetics, and establishing standardized evaluation and safety frameworks remain unresolved. Through the integration of knowledge from food chemistry, materials science, and sustainability science, this review provides a unified perspective on H 2 ‐based packaging systems and delineates key research priorities for the safe, scalable, and intelligent industrial implementation.