Insights into grape pomace as a sustainable source for active and intelligent packaging: Functional components, processing methods, and applications

As a by-product in the fruit, winery, and juice industries, grape pomace possesses significant commercial values as a sustainable resource. The skins, seeds, and stems of grapes are rich in nutrients and functional substances, including cellulose, lignin, sugars, oils, minerals and phytochemicals. The functional components in grape pomace are promising in the development of biodegradable packaging, especially biopolymer-based active and intelligent packaging systems. This review article highlights the unseen values of grape pomace as a sustainable source for food packaging innovation, with the illustration of the compositions of grape pomace, processing of the whole pomace and extraction methods of individual components. Recent research outputs and insights into the development of active and intelligent packaging materials based on grape pomace are provided, with the main purposes of food preservation and monitoring food freshness. The current technical challenges in component extraction and cost-effectiveness are discussed. Before large-scale production, potential safety concerns and further regulatory approval are important considerations. It is expected that this review article could benefit scientific researchers, engineers, and industry stakeholders in further utilizing these underexplored fruit waste for the manufacture of biodegradable packaging materials, which is promising in food waste reduction and reutilization from long-term perspective.