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<p>The environmental persistence of petroleum-based plastics has driven the development of sustainable food packaging alternatives, with nanocellulose (NC) emerging as a promising candidate. NC encompasses cellulose nanofibers (CNFs), cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs), and bacterial nanocellulose (BNC), whose nanoscale morphology, crystallinity, and surface chemistry govern barrier performance, mechanical reinforcement, and functionality in food systems. Laboratory studies demonstrate that NC-based films can reduce oxygen transmission to near-commercial ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH) levels and enhance tensile strength, while incorporation of antimicrobials, antioxidants, or pH-sensitive dyes enables active and intelligent packaging. Despite these advantages, major barriers remain: moisture sensitivity leads to barrier collapse above 70–75% relative humidity, processing methods are energy- or chemical-intensive, and active systems frequently face toxicological migration or sensory limitations. High production costs (€8–10&#xa0;kg⁻¹ versus the ≤€3&#xa0;kg⁻¹ target) and incomplete safety validation under real food storage further limit industrial adoption. This review critically evaluates the structure–function–performance chain of NC-based packaging, linking nanoscale hydrogen-bonded networks to food outcomes such as lipid oxidation delay, nutrient retention, and microbial inhibition. Future research must prioritize humidity-stable films, scalable green production routes, predictive models of transport phenomena, and standardized in situ testing. Meeting these challenges is essential for translating nanocellulose from laboratory promise to an industrially credible, biophysically validated platform for food preservation and safety.</p> Graphical Abstract <p></p>

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The Biophysics of Nanocellulose Packaging: Linking Nanoscale Structure to Food Preservation and Safety

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2025年12月12日

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  • Talha Riaz,
  • Xi Zeng,
  • Xianjiang Ye,
  • Te Yu,
  • Zhijun Xia,
  • Muhammad Moeid Khan,
  • Tanveer Ahmad,
  • Asma Kalsoom,
  • Muhammad Arham Rauf,
  • Muhammad Atiq Ashraf,
  • Rabiya Riaz,
  • Yongguo Jin,
  • Xing Fu

摘要

The environmental persistence of petroleum-based plastics has driven the development of sustainable food packaging alternatives, with nanocellulose (NC) emerging as a promising candidate. NC encompasses cellulose nanofibers (CNFs), cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs), and bacterial nanocellulose (BNC), whose nanoscale morphology, crystallinity, and surface chemistry govern barrier performance, mechanical reinforcement, and functionality in food systems. Laboratory studies demonstrate that NC-based films can reduce oxygen transmission to near-commercial ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH) levels and enhance tensile strength, while incorporation of antimicrobials, antioxidants, or pH-sensitive dyes enables active and intelligent packaging. Despite these advantages, major barriers remain: moisture sensitivity leads to barrier collapse above 70–75% relative humidity, processing methods are energy- or chemical-intensive, and active systems frequently face toxicological migration or sensory limitations. High production costs (€8–10 kg⁻¹ versus the ≤€3 kg⁻¹ target) and incomplete safety validation under real food storage further limit industrial adoption. This review critically evaluates the structure–function–performance chain of NC-based packaging, linking nanoscale hydrogen-bonded networks to food outcomes such as lipid oxidation delay, nutrient retention, and microbial inhibition. Future research must prioritize humidity-stable films, scalable green production routes, predictive models of transport phenomena, and standardized in situ testing. Meeting these challenges is essential for translating nanocellulose from laboratory promise to an industrially credible, biophysically validated platform for food preservation and safety.

Graphical Abstract