An overview of the intelligent packaging technologies in the food sector

•Intelligent packaging refers to systems that monitor the condition of packaged foods.•These systems provide information on the food quality during transport and storage.•We overview the basic principles and market applications of intelligent systems.•Aspects concerning legal, economic, and consumers' behavior have been covered.•Guidelines for tomorrow's research in intelligent packaging are provided.

BackgroundIntelligent packaging is the newest technology within the food packaging field. Even though this technology is still growing and not fully commercially viable, it has enormous potential to improve the safety, quality, and traceability of food products, as well as its convenience for consumers.Scope and approachThis paper first describes both the technical aspects and commercial applications of the most representative intelligent technologies—indicators, data carriers, and sensors—with special focus on systems and devices that are directly integrated into the package. Secondly, to provide useful guidelines for future research in the field, the paper discusses some important aspects that still hinder the full exploitation of intelligent technology within the food packaging industry.Key findings and conclusionsFuture research needs to consider some important aspects in order to make intelligent systems commercially viable, such as cost, consumers' acceptance and confidence, regulatory aspects (e.g., labeling), and multifunctionality.