Advances in Active/Intelligent Packaging Systems for the Detection and Prevention of Lipid Oxidation in Foods

Lipid oxidation is a major cause of quality and safety deterioration in lipid-rich foods, leading to off-flavours, nutrient loss, and reduced shelf life. Despite extensive research, early detection and effective control of oxidation during storage and distribution remain difficult. This is mainly because conventional analytical methods are largely destructive, laboratory-based, and unsuitable for continuous in-package monitoring. Although several reviews have addressed lipid oxidation or packaging strategies independently, a comprehensive and up-to-date review that integrates preventive packaging approaches with real-time oxidation sensing technologies remains limited. This review uniquely bridges this gap by critically consolidating recent advances in both oxidation-controlling packaging systems and sensor-based detection technologies within a single framework. It systematically outlines the fundamental mechanisms of lipid oxidation, including autooxidation, photooxidation, and enzymatic oxidation, and correlates these pathways with the formation of primary and secondary oxidation products relevant to food quality monitoring. Unlike earlier reviews, this work comparatively evaluates modified atmosphere packaging, active packaging systems incorporating oxygen scavengers, antioxidants, UV-protective agents, and nanomaterials, alongside intelligent and smart packaging tools such as freshness indicators, pH-sensitive films, time – temperature indicators, RFID, and electronic-nose-based sensors. This review underlined on their functional integration, readiness for real-time monitoring, and applicability across diverse food matrices. Furthermore, the review identifies critical technological, economic, and sustainability challenges and highlights emerging opportunities involving biosensors, nanomaterial-enabled systems, and digital traceability tools. Thus, this review provides a distinct contribution toward the development of efficient, scalable, and sustainable packaging solutions by offering a unified perspective on prevention, detection, and decision-making for enhanced food safety and extended shelf life.