Vol.:(0123456789) Food and Bioprocess Technology https://doi.org/10.1007/s11947-024-03564-0 REVIEW Phase Change Materials in Food Packaging: A Review Sepideh Bahrami 1  · Shyam S. Sablani 2 Received: 15 May 2024 / Accepted: 12 August 2024 © The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2024 Abstract Phase change materials (PCMs) are a class of thermoresponsive or thermoregulative materials that can be utilized to reduce temperature fluctuations and provide cutting-edge thermal storage. PCMs are commercially used in a variety of important applications, such as buildings, thermal engineering systems, food packaging, and transportation. The potential of these materials for an efficient temperature buffering effect is relevant in food packaging applications to preserve the safety and quality of packaged food products during storage and transit. These latent heat materials might be integrated into active and smart food packaging. Multifunctional microencapsulated PCMs can be employed to increase the efficacy of active food packaging. Additionally, PCMs can improve energy management in cold chains and lessen temperature abuse of foods. The current review focuses on the available methods for producing covers and packaging that contain PCMs, such as form-stable packaging, flexible covers and packaging films, paperboard boxes, wood, and jute, to reduce losses during the post-harvest of agricultural products and the storage and transportation of packaged food products. Keywords Food packaging · Phase change material · Storage · Shelf life · Transportation Abbreviations PCMs Phase change materials MEPCM PCM in microencapsulated form SAR Superabsorbent resin PEG Polyethylene glycol CW Carnauba wax NePCM Nanoparticle-enhanced PCM PV Photovoltaic LHSSs Latent heat storage systems LHSSI Improved latent heat storage systems PCESW Phase change energy storage wood SSPCM Solid-solid phase change materials HDI Hexamethylene diisocyanate PCW Porous carbonized wood NCS Nano-calcium silicate FSPCMs Form-stable phase change materials Tc Crystallization temperature MAP Modified atmosphere packaging TBAPi hydrate Tetrabutylammonium picolinate hydrate EPS Expanded polystyrene TRM Temperature-regulating materials PUR Polyurethane foam VIPs Vacuum insulation panels CNF Cellulose nanofibrils CNC Cellulose nanocrystals BC Bacterial cellulose zein/tet/APC Zein/tetradecane/aqueous potassium chloride CO Castor oil DW Delignified wood PLA Polylactic acid PCL Polycaprolactone MFI Melt flow index MCF Milled carbon fibers CSLHS Combined sensible-latent heat storage system HVAC Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning * Shyam S. Sablani ssablani@wsu.edu Sepideh Bahrami sepideh.bahrami@iau.ac.ir 1 Department of Food Science and Technology, Safadasht Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran 2 Department of Biological Systems Engineering, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99163, USA