Digital Spoilage Detection Technologies for Dairy Products: A Review of Intelligent Packaging Systems for Real-Time Quality Monitoring

Abstract

Digital spoilage detection technologies determine the rapid microbial deterioration of dairy products caused by their high moisture content by enabling real-time freshness determination. Conventional date-based packaging fails to indicate on-time quality and safety changes, whereas digital-based intelligent packaging enables real-time monitoring of spoilage parameters by improving food safety, nutritional quality preservation, and waste reduction. Time Temperature Indicators detect thermal abuse during storage, while pH and gas-sensitive indicator films identify acidity changes and spoilage gases (CO₂, H₂S). RFID and QR-based tags enable real-time quality monitoring and traceability. QR codes, RFID or NFC tags, and thin-films on dairy packages serve as digital entry points where customers can scan the codes with their smartphones to access information wirelessly on product freshness, storage history, nutrition, and batch traceability. With NFC-enabled smartphones, it also helps to maintain cold chain integrity and identify whether the product is at risk of spoiling, without opening the packaging. Such technologies are used to turn physicochemical changes into visualisation or mobile-readable formats, enhancing food safety beyond the limitations of the expiration date. However, challenges like the high cost of implementation, sensor instability, limited standardisation, and user awareness prevent them from being used on a wider scale. Future research will be directed towards the development of inexpensive printable sensors, smart and biodegradable labels, and AI mobile predictive freshness systems. Digital sensing technologies help in healthy nutrition and food waste reduction while promoting smart digital dairy packaging.