Advances in nanofiber triboelectric material-based intelligent packaging for quality control of protein-based food products

Ammonia (NH₃) is a key volatile marker produced during microbial degradation of protein-rich foods and is widely used to evaluate food freshness and spoilage. Developing high-performance NH₃ sensors for real-time monitoring is therefore crucial for intelligent food packaging and food safety. Electrospun nanofibers have attracted significant attention due to their high surface area, tunable porosity, flexibility, and abundant active sites, which enhance gas adsorption and charge transport. First, the sensing mechanisms and performance enhancement strategies of functional materials such as metal/metal oxide nanoparticles, conductive polymers, carbon-based nanomaterials, MXene, and metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) are discussed. Subsequently, the characteristics and application potential of chemoresistive, optical, quartz crystal microbalance (QCM)-based, and self-powered triboelectric NH₃ sensors are comparatively analyzed and discusses key factors affecting sensing performance and safety issues in food applications. Finally, particular emphasis is placed on the integration of electrospun nanofibers with triboelectric self-powered sensing systems, which offers advantages in portability, wireless operation, and sustainable monitoring, providing a promising solution for real-time food freshness assessment.