New Insights of Active and Smart Natural-Based Electrospun Mats for Food Safety in Meat and Meat Products

In the realm of preserving highly perishable foods like meat and meat products, packaging serves as an effective strategy to combat deterioration and reduce food waste. However, the environmental impact of traditional packaging has prompted a continuous search for new materials and processes in food packaging production. In this context, electrospinning emerges as a method capable of producing environmentally friendly packaging by creating electrospun mats from natural biodegradable materials such as proteins and polysaccharides, thus avoiding the generation of persistent waste. Nevertheless, the utilization of these natural substances for electrospun mat production could result in packaging with unique attributes that require careful consideration for application in the meat industry. Therefore, this review aims to provide an overview of the utilization of natural electrospun nanofibers in packaging development, with a particular focus on active and intelligent packaging for preserving meat and meat products. The electrospinning technology has shown its potential in the development of active packaging by leveraging the properties of the produced nanofibers. These nanofibers can efficiently encapsulate specific molecules (e. g., antioxidants and antimicrobials) within the polymeric matrix, allowing for a controlled release mechanism that helps manage microbial proliferation and oxidation reactions in meat and meat products. Additionally, electrospun mats have also proven to be useful in the development of intelligent packaging for meat. However, despite these advantages, challenges such as scalability in manufacturing and regulatory frameworks still exist, underscoring the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration to address these issues and optimize the effectiveness of natural electrospun nanofibers in revolutionizing meat packaging.