Nanomaterials in chemiresistive and potentiometric gas sensors for intelligent food packaging

Food waste, a significant issue linked to overproduction and improper storage, impacts the environment and public health. Integrating smart nanomaterial-based sensors into conventional packaging enables real-time food quality monitoring, minimizing waste and delivering optimal products to consumers. Among the sensors being considered, gas sensors provide a valuable technique for safe and accurate food quality monitoring in real-time. Among the different types of gas sensing techniques, chemiresistive and potentiometric are the most important methods in food quality monitoring. This review focuses on the role of nanotechnology, encompassing metal oxides, carbon-based materials, and conductive polymers, in these sensors, exploring their key features, advantages, and limitations. We delve into overcoming material challenges and present recent studies, performance metrics, and future prospects, emphasizing the critical role of nanotechnology in enhancing gas sensors for intelligent food packaging. This paper offers solutions for a more promising future for this technology.