Food packaging plays an important role in preserving food throughout the supply chain and distribution systems. Due to dwindling fossil fuel resources, and the growing concern over the environmental impacts of plastic packaging waste, bio-based polymers or biopolymers have attracted the attention of consumers who are interested in purchasing safe, high-quality, long-shelf-life-products, and at the same time, those which are environmentally sustainable. The biopolymers thus have the opportunity significantly contribute to the sustainable development goals by providing a wider range of disposal options that have the potential to reduce the negative environmental impacts of food packaging.
Bio-based polymers are typically developed from renewable resources, including marine and agricultural products. Due to their film-forming properties, biopolymers have extensively been used to produce biodegradable and/or edible films, intended as food packaging. The film-forming materials, i.e. proteins, polysaccharides, and lipids, can be utilized individually or as mixed composite blends. Among the wide variety of film-forming materials, marine biopolymers and agricultural bio-products, such as alginate, carrageenan, chitosan, gelatine, cellulose, and starch have been widely utilized due to their great processability, abundance, and properties. However, the incorporation and immobilization of certain substances (i.e. essential oils, nanomaterials, enzymes) with functional properties that support biodegradability, and/or edible films, are also needed in order to enhance their properties and to enrich their characteristics with bioactive functionality for the development of active and smart/intelligent food packaging systems. Therefore, this Research Topic will focus on the sustainable valorization of biopolymers derived from marine and agricultural products by providing a spectrum of bio-based products as high added-value materials for food packaging applications.
This Research Topic welcomes high-quality contributions from food and biopolymer researchers, academics, and scientists focusing on food packaging, and food quality and safety, to publish their Original Research or Review papers. We encourage the submission of contributions that particularly focus on the following topics:
1. Marine and agricultural biopolymers-based (i.e. alginate, carrageenan, chitosan, gelatine, cellulose, starch) eco-friendly food packaging materials;
2. Advances in biodegradable and edible films and/or coatings, including multi-layered coatings, and micro-and nano-encapsulation for more efficient control of film/coating properties and functionality;
3. Chemical modification, functionalization, and/or blending of nanomaterials with marine and agricultural biopolymers to enhance the physicochemical properties of food packaging;
4. Incorporation and/or encapsulation of active substances as natural antimicrobials in food packaging materials to extend the shelf life and to maintain the quality of food;
5. Immobilization of bioactive compounds and/or enzymes for the development of smart packaging materials.
Food packaging plays an important role in preserving food throughout the supply chain and distribution systems. Due to dwindling fossil fuel resources, and the growing concern over the environmental impacts of plastic packaging waste, bio-based polymers or biopolymers have attracted the attention of consumers who are interested in purchasing safe, high-quality, long-shelf-life-products, and at the same time, those which are environmentally sustainable. The biopolymers thus have the opportunity significantly contribute to the sustainable development goals by providing a wider range of disposal options that have the potential to reduce the negative environmental impacts of food packaging.
Bio-based polymers are typically developed from renewable resources, including marine and agricultural products. Due to their film-forming properties, biopolymers have extensively been used to produce biodegradable and/or edible films, intended as food packaging. The film-forming materials, i.e. proteins, polysaccharides, and lipids, can be utilized individually or as mixed composite blends. Among the wide variety of film-forming materials, marine biopolymers and agricultural bio-products, such as alginate, carrageenan, chitosan, gelatine, cellulose, and starch have been widely utilized due to their great processability, abundance, and properties. However, the incorporation and immobilization of certain substances (i.e. essential oils, nanomaterials, enzymes) with functional properties that support biodegradability, and/or edible films, are also needed in order to enhance their properties and to enrich their characteristics with bioactive functionality for the development of active and smart/intelligent food packaging systems. Therefore, this Research Topic will focus on the sustainable valorization of biopolymers derived from marine and agricultural products by providing a spectrum of bio-based products as high added-value materials for food packaging applications.
This Research Topic welcomes high-quality contributions from food and biopolymer researchers, academics, and scientists focusing on food packaging, and food quality and safety, to publish their Original Research or Review papers. We encourage the submission of contributions that particularly focus on the following topics:
1. Marine and agricultural biopolymers-based (i.e. alginate, carrageenan, chitosan, gelatine, cellulose, starch) eco-friendly food packaging materials;
2. Advances in biodegradable and edible films and/or coatings, including multi-layered coatings, and micro-and nano-encapsulation for more efficient control of film/coating properties and functionality;
3. Chemical modification, functionalization, and/or blending of nanomaterials with marine and agricultural biopolymers to enhance the physicochemical properties of food packaging;
4. Incorporation and/or encapsulation of active substances as natural antimicrobials in food packaging materials to extend the shelf life and to maintain the quality of food;
5. Immobilization of bioactive compounds and/or enzymes for the development of smart packaging materials.
