Plant-Based Composite Films and Coatings: Green Techniques, Natural Products and Sustainability to a Healthier Future

Dear Colleagues,

Nowadays, the development of plant-based composite films and coatings has emerged as a promising strategy to promote sustainability and a healthier future through green techniques and natural products. This approach addresses consumer demand for eco-friendly, biodegradable packaging that extends food shelf life while enhancing protection through active films and intelligent coatings. Plant-derived bioactive compounds and nutrients, often sourced from food by-products and agro-industrial residues, play a critical role in optimizing the functional and barrier properties of these coatings, promoting circular economy principles. Various green extraction methods, including ultrasound-assisted, microwave-assisted, enzymatic-assisted, supercritical, and pressurized water extractions, are optimized to obtain high-quality antioxidants and other bioactive compounds essential for active packaging applications.

We are pleased to invite you to the Special Issue, "Plant-Based Composite Films and Coatings: Green Techniques, Natural Products and Sustainability to a Healthier Future," in Coatings. This Special Issue invites original research articles and comprehensive reviews on the development and characterization of these sustainable materials. Topics can include optimization strategies for green methods; extraction and encapsulation of bioactive compounds and nutrients; evaluation of barrier properties, biodegradability, and sustainability metrics; and real-world applications in extending shelf-life via active films and intelligent coatings.

In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following:

Contributions exploring food by-products as renewable sources, life-cycle assessments, and scalability for industrial packaging are particularly encouraged, aligning with global shifts toward zero-waste solutions. By bridging food science, materials engineering, and sustainability, this collection aims to advance plant-based innovations that safeguard nutrients, reduce environmental impact, and support healthier futures.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Prof. Dr. Bárbara Elisabeth Teixeira Costa
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-anonymized 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.