Research Progress in Curcumin-based Active-intelligent Preservation Materials: Delivery Modification, Photodynamic Inactivation, and Freshness Monitoring

TANG Min; SHEN Haijun; XIE Qiang; CAO Zhongwen; ZHANG Tanglei; CHEN Zhiyan; HE Xiaolong

doi:10.19554/j.cnki.1001-3563.2026.15.003

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Packaging Engineering ›› 2026, Vol. 47 ›› Issue (15) : 25-37. DOI: 10.19554/j.cnki.1001-3563.2026.15.003

Research Progress in Curcumin-based Active-intelligent Preservation Materials: Delivery Modification, Photodynamic Inactivation, and Freshness Monitoring

TANG Min^1,2, SHEN Haijun^3,4,*, XIE Qiang⁴, CAO Zhongwen^5,*, ZHANG Tanglei⁵, CHEN Zhiyan⁵, HE Xiaolong⁵

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Abstract

The work aims to review research advances in curcumin (Cur)-based active-intelligent materials for food preservation and clarify how delivery strategies affect Cur stability and release, how Cur-mediated photodynamic inactivation (PDI) is regulated by illumination conditions and food matrices, and how color responses correlate with food spoilage indicators. The antibacterial, antioxidant, photosensitizing, and pH/volatile amine-responsive properties of Cur were reviewed. Delivery and modification strategies were classified into polysaccharide- and protein-based carriers, inclusion complexes and nanocarriers, and function-enhancing synergistic systems. Type I/Type II reactions and microbial damage mediated by reactive oxygen/nitrogen species were elucidated. The application characteristics of preservation films, coatings, hydrogels, aerogels, and absorbent pads were compared, and their preservation and monitoring performance in different foods was summarized. Delivery systems can enhance the antibacterial, antioxidant, PDI, and colorimetric response properties of Cur-based materials by regulating Cur dispersion, protection, release, and interfacial contact, thereby integrating active preservation with freshness monitoring. Current limitations include inconsistent PDI parameters, insufficient calibration of color-response thresholds against spoilage limits, and inadequate evidence regarding migration safety, cold-chain stability, and scalable production. Future research should establish relationships among material structure, Cur release, reactive oxygen species generation, quality changes, and color responses, while strengthening standardized evaluation and validation under actual storage and transportation conditions.

Key words

curcumin / active-intelligent packaging / food preservation / delivery modification / photodynamic inactivation / freshness monitoring

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TANG Min, SHEN Haijun, XIE Qiang, CAO Zhongwen, ZHANG Tanglei, CHEN Zhiyan, HE Xiaolong. Research Progress in Curcumin-based Active-intelligent Preservation Materials: Delivery Modification, Photodynamic Inactivation, and Freshness Monitoring[J]. Packaging Engineering. 2026, 47(15): 25-37 https://doi.org/10.19554/j.cnki.1001-3563.2026.15.003

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