Chitosan based coatings and films: A perspective on antimicrobial, antioxidant, and intelligent food packaging

The demand for healthier and safer food having minimal synthetic content and pre-servatives is increasing nowadays. Biological molecules such as chitosan are emerging mainly because of their antioxidant and antimicrobial benefits and their biological compatibility, bio-degradability, and higher safety. However, low mechanical and thermal performance and high costs of production in comparison to plastics have greatly limited their use on a larger scale. In this comprehensive review, the antimicrobial and antioxidant properties of chitosan and chi-tosan-based biopolymers have been discussed and their applications in the food industry have been summarized. The increasing studies have emphasized the role of chitosan as an appealing substitute to replace the synthetic polymers for preventing food spoilage and protection from the pathogenic microorganisms which could improve the quality and safety of foods; however, further studies are needed to answer the questions regarding the selection of raw materials, stability, sensitivity, product development, toxicity issues, and industrialization.