Food spoilage and packaging solutions: key Mediterranean case studies

The Mediterranean agri-food sector represents a model of millennial evolution, with a deep connection to lifestyle and a unique biodiversity of edible resources, renowned for its ability to combine well-being, health, and resilience. This reference, in terms of production and consumption, is currently facing growing challenges: evolving lifestyles, global economic changes, pollution, climate change, and resource scarcity. In this context, the sustainable transition of food systems represents a priority to facilitate change, ensuring producers and consumers can adhere to a dietary and lifestyle pattern traditionally observed in countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea ('Mediterranean' style). This review examines the diversity of food production, the complexity of spoilage mechanisms, and the evolution of packaging strategies to identify critical case studies in the Mediterranean region, advancing frontier research in packaging technology and supporting the development of innovative, waste-reducing solutions. In this review article, five food categories (fruit and vegetables, seafood, dairy, bread, and meat) were selected based on their relevance to Mediterranean systems and the diversity of issues, providing a comparative insight into spoilage mechanisms and storage requirements. The selection of a limited number of representative food case studies is essential to ensure consistency, reproducibility, and interdisciplinary collaboration, especially in a complex context like the Mediterranean. This review encourages collaborative and interdisciplinary research and a positive interaction among sustainable packaging innovation, the valorisation of microbial resources, and targeted spoilage management. These strategies are crucial to reducing food waste & loss, supporting the principles of a circular economy, and preserving the potential of Mediterranean agri-food production and consumption systems.