Sustainable Bioactive Coatings: Valorization of Food Industry By-Products for Probiotic Delivery
Articles > Article · 2026
Authors: Ayşegül KIRMIZIGÜL PEKER, Özgül Altay, Figen ERTEKİN, İlkin ŞENGÜN
Food Reviews International, International, WoS, 2026, pp 1-25
DOI: 10.1080/87559129.2026.2696495
Summary
The urgent need to replace fossil fuel-based packaging has accelerated the development of sustainable and functional alternatives. Concurrently, maintaining probiotic viability across processing, storage, and gastrointestinal transit remains a critical challenge. Edible and bioactive coatings derived from renewable resources have emerged as multifunctional systems addressing both sustainability and delivery efficiency. This review highlights recent advances in coatings developed from food by-products, positioning them within circular economy strategies. Evidence demonstrates that engineered matrices significantly enhance probiotic viability through physical protection, antioxidant and antimicrobial effects, and optimized microenvironments. Their application in real food systems further improves shelf life and microbial control, underscoring their potential as next-generation functional packaging platforms.