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However, conventional absorbent pads often suffer from limited functionality, insufficient liquid retention, and a lack of active responsiveness. Hydrogels and aerogels, with tunable three-dimensional polymer networks, provide an important material basis for the design of new functional absorbent pads. This review focuses on the relationships among structure, function, and application, and compares hydrogels and aerogels in terms of network composition, crosslinking strategies, water absorption and retention mechanisms, and active compound loading and release behaviors. Structural design strategies, including multilayer structures, Janus structures, gradient pore structures, and micro\/nano-reinforcement, are also summarized. On this basis, recent applications of hydrogel- and aerogel-based absorbent pads in the packaging of meat, aquatic products, fruits, vegetables, and edible fungi are discussed. Finally, the key challenges facing gel-based absorbent pads are analyzed, including adaptation to real food systems, release regulation, food-contact safety, and industrial-scale production. This review establishes a structure\u2013function\u2013application framework for gel-based absorbent pads and offers insights for designing sustainable active and intelligent food packaging.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/gels12090754","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,24]],"date-time":"2026-08-24T11:47:19Z","timestamp":1787572039000},"page":"754","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Applications of Hydrogel and Aerogel Absorbent Pads in Food Packaging: From Exudate Management to Active and Intelligent Preservation"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"12","author":[{"given":"Ke","family":"Zhang","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Agricultural Product Processing and Storage Lab, School of Food and Biological Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Zhihua","family":"Li","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Agricultural Product Processing and Storage Lab, School of Food and Biological Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Xiaowei","family":"Huang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Agricultural Product Processing and Storage Lab, School of Food and Biological Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Zhou","family":"Qin","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Agricultural Product Processing and Storage Lab, School of Food and Biological Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Xiaodong","family":"Zhai","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Agricultural Product Processing and Storage Lab, School of Food and Biological Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7004-199X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Junjun","family":"Zhang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Agricultural Product Processing and Storage Lab, School of Food and Biological Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Jiyong","family":"Shi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Agricultural Product Processing and Storage Lab, School of Food and Biological Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,23]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"105767","DOI":"10.1016\/j.fbio.2024.105767","article-title":"Natural solutions for food safety: Antibacterial activity of xanthohumol against food spoilage microorganisms and foodborne pathogens and its application prospect in food","volume":"63","author":"Zhang","year":"2025","journal-title":"Food Biosci."},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Fierascu, R.C., Sieniawska, E., Ortan, A., Fierascu, I., and Xiao, J. 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