The purpose of food packaging is to preserve the quality and safety of the food it contains from the time of manufacture to the time it is used by the consumer. Recently, the demand for safe and high quality foods, as well as changes in consumer preferences have led to the development of innovative and novel approaches in food packaging technology. One such development is the active food packaging technology. active packaging can be classified into two main kinds: non-migratory active packaging acting without intentional migration, and active releasing packaging allowing a controlled migration of non-volatile agents or an emission of volatile compounds in the atmosphere surrounding the food. Nonmigratory active packaging is a packaging which elicits a desirable response from food systems without the active component migrating from the packaging into the food. The most well known examples of nonmigratory active packaging are oxygen and ethylene absorbers. Also carbon dioxide and antioxidant releaser are examples of migratory active packaging.

Fish products with significant nutritional value and good physiological effects have a great market and consumption potential. According to high protein and low fat composition of fish that make fish products easy to deteriorate it is difficult to store, and resulting in great waste. active packaging is an innovative approach developed to protect or extend the shelf life of food products, ensuring quality, safety and integrity. active packaging technologies include some physical, chemical, or biological actions that modify the interactions between the package and the product for the desired result. Essential oils (EOs) are one of the compounds used in antimicrobial active packaging as antimicrobial agents. Essential oils are produced by different part of plants as defensive mechanisms against microorganisms. In recent years, the effectiveness of a wide range of EOs against lipid oxidation and microbial growth has been extensively demonstrated by many authors. It has been reported that oregano EO is the most frequently used for applications as fish preservatives, followed by rosemary and thyme EOs.