Foodstuffs, particularly perishable ones such as meat, are frequently discarded once the best-before date has been reached, despite the possibility of their continued suitability for human consumption. The implementation of intelligent packaging has the potential to contribute to a reduction in food wastage by enabling the monitoring of meat freshness during storage time independently of the best-before date. The process of meat spoilage is associated with the formation of specific degradation products, some of which can be potentially utilized as spoilage indicators in intelligent packaging. The aim of the review is to identify degradation products whose concentration correlates with meat shelf life and to evaluate their potential use as spoilage indicators in intelligent packaging. To this end, a comprehensive literature research was conducted to identify the factors influencing meat spoilage and the eight key degradation products (carboxylic acids, biogenic amines, total volatile basic nitrogen, aldehydes, alcohols, ketones, sulfur compounds, and esters) associated with this process. These degradation products were analyzed for their correlation with meat shelf life at different temperatures, atmospheres, and meat types and for their applicability in intelligent packaging. The review provides an overview of these degradation products, comparing their potential to indicate spoilage across different meat types and storage conditions. The findings suggest that while no single degradation product universally indicates spoilage across all meat types and conditions, compounds like carboxylic acids, biogenic amines, and volatile basic nitrogen warrant further investigation. The review elucidates the intricacies inherent in identifying a singular spoilage indicator but underscores the potential of combining specific degradation products to expand the scope of applications in intelligent packaging. Further research (e.g., storage tests in which the concentrations of these substances are specifically examined or research on which indicator substance responds to these degradation products) is recommended to explore these combinations with a view to broadening their applicability.

This review investigates the potential of sodium alginate, a biobased polysaccharide from brown algae, for food packaging applications. It analyzes the main challenges of cast films, including water vapor permeability, mechanical performance, and processability, and evaluates strategies to enhance these properties without chemical modification. Chemical modification is excluded because it would classify alginate as a plastic under EU regulations (PPWR, SUPD), conflicting with plastic-free packaging. The review synthesizes literature from 2004 to 2025 on pure sodium alginate films that are plasticized and ionically crosslinked without additional modifiers or nanofillers. While alginate provides excellent oxygen and fat barriers, its high water vapor permeability and brittleness limit broader use. Ionic crosslinking improves strength and water resistance, yet non-uniform networks remain a key challenge. Film performance is also influenced by drying temperature, mixing speed, molecular weight, and protein incorporation. This review differs from previous studies by highlighting the coupled effects of plasticization, ionic crosslinking, and processing limitations that together determine alginate’s industrial feasibility. Research gaps concern long-term stability and behavior under industrial packaging conditions. Given environmental and regulatory pressures to replace fossil-based plastics, sodium alginate shows strong potential as a scalable, renewable material for sustainable food packaging.