Abstract: With the development of the food industry, the problem of food safety has become a common concern for people all over the world. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), a class of functional materials with unique physical and chemical properties, have shown promising applications in food preservation due to their porous structure as well as remarkable antibacterial properties. MOFs have been developed as antimicrobial agents to extend the shelf life and delay quality deterioration of food products as well as improve the performance of food packaging materials. In this review, we discuss the application of MOFs as antimicrobial agents, oxygen scavengers, and ethylene scavengers in food packaging, and highlight future prospects and problems in this field. This review aims to provide reference for the application of MOFs in food packaging.

Key words: metal-organic frameworks; food packaging; food safety; absorbents; antimicrobial agents