TY - JOUR
T1 - Thermochromic Polymers in Food Packaging
T2 - A Comprehensive Systematic Review and Patent Landscape Analysis
AU - Breheny, Colette
AU - Donlon, Kieran
AU - Harrington, Alan
AU - Colbert, Declan Mary
AU - Bezerra, Gilberto S.N.
AU - Geever, Luke M.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2024 by the authors.
PY - 2024/10
Y1 - 2024/10
N2 - This study addresses the gap in research on the application of thermochromic polymers (TPs) in food packaging and their potential for real-time temperature monitoring, aiding in the assessment of food quality and shelf-life. TPs exhibit a visible color change in response to temperature variations. A comprehensive systematic review (SR) across multiple engineering peer-review databases using predefined terms was conducted. Additionally, international patent databases were investigated using the same predefined terms. Independent experts reviewed the methodology to identify and address potential biases. A total of 288 eligible articles and 922 patents were identified. After a duplicate selection and extraction process according to the inclusion criteria, four related full-text publications were selected from the initial 288 articles, and five relevant patents were selected from the 922 patents. The qualitative review suggests that TPs hold significant promise as food packaging materials due to their unique physical properties. The study concludes that TPs offer valuable properties for the food packaging industry, meriting further investigation to exploit their benefits fully.
AB - This study addresses the gap in research on the application of thermochromic polymers (TPs) in food packaging and their potential for real-time temperature monitoring, aiding in the assessment of food quality and shelf-life. TPs exhibit a visible color change in response to temperature variations. A comprehensive systematic review (SR) across multiple engineering peer-review databases using predefined terms was conducted. Additionally, international patent databases were investigated using the same predefined terms. Independent experts reviewed the methodology to identify and address potential biases. A total of 288 eligible articles and 922 patents were identified. After a duplicate selection and extraction process according to the inclusion criteria, four related full-text publications were selected from the initial 288 articles, and five relevant patents were selected from the 922 patents. The qualitative review suggests that TPs hold significant promise as food packaging materials due to their unique physical properties. The study concludes that TPs offer valuable properties for the food packaging industry, meriting further investigation to exploit their benefits fully.
KW - food packaging
KW - patent landscape analysis
KW - stimuli-responsive materials
KW - systematic review
KW - thermochromic polymers
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85207524488&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3390/coatings14101252
DO - 10.3390/coatings14101252
M3 - Review article
SN - 2079-6412
VL - 14
JO - Coatings
JF - Coatings
IS - 10
M1 - 1252
ER -