Food Protection to Health Promotion: A Comprehensive Review of Edible Films and Coatings as Functional Packaging

Edible packaging derived from biopolymers and/or lipids is environmentally friendly, sustainable, and biodegradable, offering a natural alternative to petroleum-based plastics. Edible films and coatings (EFCs) can be applied to foods using materials safe for consumption, where they act as protective barriers against UV-light, mechanical damage, and the loss of soluble solids, water vapour, organic volatiles, and gases. By preserving food quality and nutritional value, they extend shelf life and enhance product stability. Beyond these technological benefits, their role as carriers for bioactive compounds such as antioxidants, antimicrobials, nutrients, dietary fibres, probiotics, prebiotics, and postbiotics presents promising potential for applications in human health. Despite a substantial number of reviews focusing on the use of EFCs for food preservation and their protective properties, their potential health implications remain largely unexplored, even though these materials are intended to be consumed with food. Human studies are therefore necessary to evaluate their safety, bioavailability, and effectiveness in delivering health-promoting bioactive compounds. At the same time, challenges relating to formulation variability, sensory attributes, and industrial scalability must be addressed to enable their broader adoption. This review aims to bridge these gaps by providing a comprehensive overview of the applications, challenges, and prospects of EFCs. The necessity for interdisciplinary research in conjunction with supportive policies is emphasized, with the objective of advancing the development of sustainable packaging solutions and innovative tools that contribute to global health strategies.