Plant Essential Oils: Extraction Methods and Applications in Food Packaging
A special issue of Foods (ISSN 2304-8158). This special issue belongs to the section "Food Engineering and Technology".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 January 2026) | Viewed by 6349
Editors
Interests: food packaging; food 3D printing; food preservation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: research and development of high-efficiency, high-quality and high-value full utilization technology for co-products of fruit and vegetable processing; analysis of the fine structure of fruit and vegetable cell walls and its relationship with the quality of fruits and vegetables; interaction patterns and functions among polysaccharides and between polysaccharides and polyphenols in plant-derived cell walls
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
The growing consumer demand for natural, minimally processed foods and sustainable packaging solutions has intensified research into plant essential oils (PEOs) as potent, bio-based alternatives to synthetic preservatives. This Special Issue, "Plant Essential Oils: Extraction Methods and Applications in Food Packaging," delves into the critical intersection of PEO extraction technologies and their functional integration within food packaging systems. PEOs offer remarkable antimicrobial and antioxidant properties, crucial for extending shelf-life and enhancing food safety. However, their inherent volatility, sensitivity, and strong organoleptic impact present significant challenges for direct application. The efficacy and stability of PEOs in packaging are fundamentally influenced by the extraction method employed (e.g., hydrodistillation, steam distillation, solvent extraction, supercritical fluid extraction, microwave/ultrasound-assisted extraction), which dictates their yield, composition, and bioactive profile. Furthermore, innovative encapsulation techniques (e.g., cyclodextrins, liposomes, nanofibers, biopolymer matrices) and material engineering strategies are vital for controlled release and maximizing their preservation potential within active and intelligent packaging formats. This Special Issue seeks cutting-edge research and reviews exploring novel extraction techniques, advanced encapsulation/delivery systems, the development and characterization of PEO-loaded packaging materials, their impact on food preservation efficacy (microbial, oxidative, sensory), migration studies, and assessments of safety and environmental sustainability.
Prof. Dr. Yaowen Liu
Dr. Mingrui Chen
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 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. 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
- plant essential oils
- extraction techniques
- food packaging
- active packaging
- encapsulation
- antimicrobial
- antioxidant
- preservation efficacy
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