Advanced Materials and Films for Food Packaging
A special issue of Coatings (ISSN 2079-6412). This special issue belongs to the section "Coatings for Food Technology and System".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 September 2026 | Viewed by 1236
Special Issue Editor
Interests: organo-inorganic hybrid materials; food packaging; regenerative medicine; functional materials
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
The development of advanced materials and functional films for food packaging represents a rapidly evolving research frontier aimed at redefining how perishable goods are protected, preserved, and delivered throughout the supply chain. The primary objective of this field is to engineer next generation polymer systems, often bio-based, biodegradable, or nanostructurally enhanced, that exhibit superior mechanical stability, tunable barrier performance, and controlled physicochemical interactions with food matrices. By integrating renewable polymers, active additives, and smart response functionalities, researchers seek to overcome the intrinsic limitations of conventional petroleum derived packaging, particularly regarding moisture and gas permeability, oxidative degradation, and environmental persistence.
A further goal is to design multifunctional films capable of extending shelf life through mechanisms such as antimicrobial release, antioxidant action, or selective permeation, without compromising food safety or sensory quality. Parallel efforts target the development of scalable processing routes such as hot melt extrusion and film blowing that ensure industrial feasibility while maintaining the structural integrity and performance of the formulated materials. Ultimately, the purpose of this research area is to establish sustainable, high-performance packaging solutions that simultaneously minimize environmental impact, enhance product preservation, and align with circular economy principles, thereby addressing urgent global challenges in food security and waste reduction.
Key thematic areas include the following:
- Emerging film-forming proteins and polysaccharides
- Protein-, polysaccharide-, lipid-based and hybrid films
- Intermolecular interactions governing film properties
- Surface functionalization and nanostructured modifications
- Advanced and bio-based plasticizers
- Stabilization of film-forming solutions for industrial use
- Biopolymer-derived nanoparticles as carriers for active agents
- Edible films and coatings for shelf-life extension
- Active and intelligent packaging from biopolymers
- Novel methods for producing edible/biodegradable films
- Advanced techniques for coating food surfaces
- Biosensors and responsive indicators for smart packaging
- Integration of nanomaterials and natural extracts
- Environmental impact and life-cycle assessment of bio-based materials
Dr. Federico Barrino
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Coatings is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- biopolymers
- barrier properties
- active packaging
- biodegradability
- nanostructured films
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