Sustainable food packaging from meat and seafood waste: bioactive compounds, extraction, and innovation

Background The growing demand for sustainable alternatives to conventional plastics has intensified research into food packaging materials derived from meat and seafood processing byproducts. These wastes are rich in biopolymers and bioactive compounds, such as proteins (gelatins, collagen, meat protein) and polysaccharides, which can be valorized into biodegradable and functional packaging systems. Scope and approach This review highlights recent advances in the extraction and functionalization of these biomolecules, emphasizing the antioxidant, antimicrobial, and film-forming properties that make them suitable for active and intelligent packaging applications. Particular attention is given to innovative strategies for film development, including blending with polysaccharides (pullulan, starch, cellulose) and complementary proteins (soy, whey, zein), as well as the incorporation of bioactives to enhance packaging performance. Emerging technologies, such as electrospinning and multilayer laminate architectures, are also discussed in the context of improving mechanical, barrier, and controlled-release functionalities. Key findings and conclusion Meat and seafood-derived biopolymers demonstrate excellent potential as sustainable packaging materials, offering desirable mechanical strength, barrier properties, and bioactivity. Blending strategies and active agent incorporation significantly enhance film functionality, while intelligent packaging applications add value by enabling real-time food quality monitoring. However, challenges remain regarding large-scale production, stability of incorporated actives, regulatory acceptance, and end-of-life biodegradability. Overall, the valorization of meat and seafood wastes into bio-based packaging represents a promising route toward a circular bioeconomy, contributing to both environmental sustainability and food quality assurance.