About this Research Topic
The disposal of packaging materials, mainly plastics from the food industry, in the oceans, lakes, rivers, and landfills at an unprecedented rate, is a global concern that contributes to huge environmental pollution, putting in jeopardy different ecosystems. Currently, different strategies are used, such as the recycling or the reuse of some packaging materials. However, due to their inadequate management, end-of-life issues, and lack of policy initiatives, these strategies are not enough to overcome the negative impact of these packaging materials on the environment.
To address these challenges, novel strategies to reduce the amount of the existing packaging materials for food packaging, to use less plastic, to develop sustainable new materials and technologies for their processing, to use wastes and by-products for the development of new materials, and thus contribute to a biocircular economy, to evaluate the effect of new packaging materials on food quality and their carbon footprint, as well as how the packaging may communicate together with the consumer behavior must be studied.
This Research Topic welcomes original research, case reports, and reviews, covering, but not limited to, the following sub-themes:
• How to reduce packaging and/or eliminate plastic.
• New processing technologies for the development of new packaging materials.
• Valorization of wastes and by-products for the development of new packaging materials.
• Properties and risk analysis of new packaging materials.
• How the new packaging materials affect the food quality and its shelf-life.
• Life cycle assessment (LCA) of packaging materials.
• Packaging communication and consumer behavior.
To address these challenges, novel strategies to reduce the amount of the existing packaging materials for food packaging, to use less plastic, to develop sustainable new materials and technologies for their processing, to use wastes and by-products for the development of new materials, and thus contribute to a biocircular economy, to evaluate the effect of new packaging materials on food quality and their carbon footprint, as well as how the packaging may communicate together with the consumer behavior must be studied.
This Research Topic welcomes original research, case reports, and reviews, covering, but not limited to, the following sub-themes:
• How to reduce packaging and/or eliminate plastic.
• New processing technologies for the development of new packaging materials.
• Valorization of wastes and by-products for the development of new packaging materials.
• Properties and risk analysis of new packaging materials.
• How the new packaging materials affect the food quality and its shelf-life.
• Life cycle assessment (LCA) of packaging materials.
• Packaging communication and consumer behavior.
Keywords: Biocircular Economy, Food, Packaging, Sustainability, Carbon Footprint, Biodegradable
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
