Advances in Functional Colloids and Emulsions and Their Application as Active Packaging Materials in Food Preservation
A special issue of Foods (ISSN 2304-8158). This special issue belongs to the section "Food Packaging and Preservation".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 27 February 2026 | Viewed by 37
Special Issue Editors
Interests: emulsion; colloid structure regulation; food preservation materials
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Food spoilage is one of the core challenges faced by the global food industry, mainly caused by microbial proliferation, lipid oxidation, moisture migration, and flavor loss. According to the 2023 data statistics of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), approximately one-third (around 1.3 billion tons) of the world's food is wasted annually due to spoilage. Traditional food packaging materials (such as petroleum-based materials like polyethylene and polypropylene) can only provide physical protection (e.g., blocking moisture and oxygen) and cannot actively inhibit the spoilage process. Furthermore, while traditional chemical preservatives (e.g., nitrites, potassium sorbate) can extend shelf life, they pose residue risks and raise consumer concerns about "naturalness".
Under the circumstances, functional colloids and emulsions have emerged as a research hotspot for active packaging materials due to their biocompatibility, biodegradability, active substance loading capacity, and controllable structure. Functional colloids (e.g., chitosan, cellulose derivatives, protein gels) and emulsions (e.g., water-in-oil (W/O), oil-in-water (O/W) emulsions) can actively intervene in food spoilage processes by encapsulating active substances (such as antimicrobials, antioxidants, and preservatives) and enabling controlled release or intelligent responsive release. This approach simultaneously addresses consumer demands for "safety, naturalness, and sustainability", positioning them as a promising core technology for future food preservation. With the further integration of materials science and food engineering (e.g., the application of 3D printing and nanotechnology), functional colloids and emulsions will exhibit even broader application prospects.
To gather further insights into the potential and limitations of this research area, we welcome submissions of original research articles and reviews. Research areas may include, but are not limited to, the following themes:
- Novel modification technologies for functional colloids and emulsions;
- Material modification and performance optimization of functional colloids and emulsions;
- Encapsulation mechanisms of active substances and design of intelligent controlled-release systems;
- Application of active packaging based on functional colloids and emulsions in food preservation;
- Mechanism analysis of active packaging in food preservation;
- Nanotechnology and 3D printing.
We look forward to receiving your contributions.
Dr. Xiaoya Tao
Prof. Dr. Bo Zheng
Guest Editors
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 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
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. Foods is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly 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 2900 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
- emulsions
- colloids
- active packaging
- food preservation
- modification technology
- controlled release
- active substance loading
- nanotechnology
- 3D printing
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