Edible and biodegradable films: Innovations, challenges and future prospects for sustainable seafood preservation

• Advances in edible-biodegradable films as sustainable seafood packaging tools. • Integrative review of polysaccharide, protein, and composite biopolymer films. • Natural antioxidants and nanomaterials boost film stability and preservation. • Intelligent freshness-indicating films enhance seafood quality assessment. • This review emphasizes circular economy approaches through green packaging solutions. The growing demand for sustainable packaging in the seafood sector has driven the advancement of Edible and biodegradable films (EBFs) as a viable substitute for traditional plastic materials. This review explores recent innovations, challenges and future directions in the application of EBFs for seafood preservation. It begins with a detailed classification of EBFs based on biopolymer sources polysaccharides, proteins, and their conjugated or composite forms highlighting their unique properties, limitations, and functional advancements. Particular focus is given to advanced functional additives, including natural antioxidants, antimicrobials, essential oils, phenolic compounds, and nanomaterials, which enhance the films’ efficacy against microbial spoilage and oxidation. Furthermore, the review delves into the growing field of intelligent and smart packaging technologies, like pH-sensitive films and freshness indicators, revolutionizing seafood assessing and integrity control. Applications of EBFs in real-world fish and seafood systems are examined, demonstrating their impact on prolongation of shelf life and preserving product quality. The environmental sustainability of these films is discussed through their biodegradability and valorization of seafood industry by-products. Finally, the review identifies key technological bottlenecks and outlines future research prospects, emphasizing the potential of EBFs to harmonize food protection, product preservation, and environmental sustainability in seafood packaging.