Next-Generation Active and Intelligent Food Packaging: Sustainable Materials, Functional Systems, and Industrial Challenges

A special issue of Foods (ISSN 2304-8158). This special issue belongs to the section "Food Packaging and Preservation".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 November 2026 | Viewed by 693

Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Food and Nutrition, National Institute of Health Doctor Ricardo Jorge, Av. Padre Cruz, 1649-016 Lisbon, Portugal
Interests: food packaging; materials engineering; innovative food packaging; nanomaterials; food contaminants; extracts from food by-products
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue aims to highlight recent advances in next-generation active and intelligent food packaging systems, with a focus on sustainable and high-performance materials. Topics of interest include the development and application of bio-based and biodegradable polymers, the incorporation of natural bioactive compounds (e.g., essential oils, plant extracts, phenolic compounds), and the use of advanced encapsulation and controlled-release technologies.

Contributions addressing multifunctional packaging systems, smart indicators, and the integration of active and intelligent features are also welcome. In addition, this Special Issue seeks to cover key challenges related to scalability, regulatory aspects, industrial implementation, and consumer acceptance, bridging the gap between research and real-world applications.

Dr. Fernanda Vilarinho
Dr. Ana Teresa Sanches-Silva
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • active food packaging
  • releasing food packaging
  • intelligent edible coatings
  • biopolymers
  • smart indicators
  • bioactive compounds

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

26 pages, 12650 KB  
Article
Lucuma Starch-Based Active Packaging Maintains Postharvest Quality of Strawberries During Cold Storage
by Laydy M. Mena-Chacon, Robin Oblitas-Delgado, Angel F. Huaman-Pilco, Pablo Rituay, Krizia Pretell, Eyner Huaman-Huaman and Jonathan Campos
Foods 2026, 15(12), 2093; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods15122093 - 10 Jun 2026
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 463
Abstract
Sustainable starch-based bioplastics have emerged as promising alternatives to conventional plastics for fresh produce packaging, yet their efficacy in preserving highly perishable fruits remains underexplored. Strawberries cv. San Andreas, prone to rapid postharvest deterioration, require packaging that balances moisture retention and gas exchange [...] Read more.
Sustainable starch-based bioplastics have emerged as promising alternatives to conventional plastics for fresh produce packaging, yet their efficacy in preserving highly perishable fruits remains underexplored. Strawberries cv. San Andreas, prone to rapid postharvest deterioration, require packaging that balances moisture retention and gas exchange to maintain quality. This study developed lucuma seed starch-based bioplastics incorporated with free (EO) or microencapsulated (EOM) lemon verbena essential oil and evaluated their performance during 16 days of refrigerated storage (4 °C) compared to non-active bioplastic (Control) and commercial low-density polyethylene (LDPE). Microencapsulation enhanced the stability and controlled release of bioactive compounds. The EOM treatment reduced weight loss to 12.81% (vs. 18.25% in Control and 6.29% in LDPE), while preserving firmness at 3.87 N (vs. 2.19 N in LDPE). Strawberries packaged in both EO and EOM exhibited complete suppression of visible decay (0% incidence) throughout storage, in stark contrast to LDPE (57.34% incidence). The EOM system also maintained higher levels of total phenolics (205.51 mg GAE/100 g FW), antioxidant capacity (289.05 µmol TE/100 g FW), and anthocyanins compared to LDPE and Control treatments. These findings demonstrate that lucuma seed starch bioplastics containing microencapsulated lemon verbena essential oil represent a sustainable and functional packaging strategy to extend shelf life and preserve the quality of highly perishable strawberries during refrigerated storage. Full article
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