Aloe vera for Clean‐Label Innovation

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Market data reflect strong consumer demand for natural ingredients, and the plant‐based preservatives segment is expanding rapidly. Plant extracts and essential oils are increasingly used as generally recognised as safe (GRAS) natural preservatives and active‐packaging components to control the release of antimicrobials /antioxidants into the food microenvironment. We have presented a critical narrative literature on Aloe vera's functional food or nutraceutical applications, by explicitly integrating food preservation efficacy with regulatory safety, analytical standardization, and translational readiness considerations relevant to real‐world food systems. Rather than reiterating phytochemical or therapeutic narratives, this review critically examines A. vera‐based edible coatings and formulations through the lens of food safety assurance, including control of HADs (e.g., aloin), distinctions between decolourized gel and whole‐leaf extracts, and alignment with evolving regulatory positions across major jurisdic- tions.

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