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Natural Polymer-Based Films and Coatings for Food Packaging
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Natural Polymer-Based Films and Coatings for Food Packaging

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (25 April 2025) | Viewed by 12004

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Ying Chen

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Food Science and Engineering, Yangzhou University, Huayang Xilu 196, Yangzhou 225127, China
Interests: starch, chitosan; polysaccharide-based films; functional packaging materials; novel starch resources; grains and agricultural wastes
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Liang Zhang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Food Science and Engineering, Yangzhou University, Huayang Xilu 196, Yangzhou 225127, China
Interests: edible films; functional films; controled-release films; food emulsions
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Yi Yuan

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Biological Science and Engineering, Fuzhou University, 2 Xueyuan Road, University New Area, Fuzhou 350108, China
Interests: study on the interaction between natural polymers (proteins, polysaccharides, etc.); design and development of food emulsions (pickering); natural polymer-based food packaging materials; natural polymer-based colloidal delivery systems

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

It is a sobering fact that more than 40% of fresh produce is wasted before it is eaten, according to the FAO. Packaging food and extending shelf life are crucial for the transportation and storage of food from farm to table. However, the non-degradability of petroleum-based plastic food packaging has led to serious environmental issues. The health impacts of microplastics are also under investigation. Therefore, the design and development of biopolymer-based food packaging materials, such as proteins and polysaccharides, are essential. Sustainable biopolymers with excellent film-forming properties are being utilized in the development of food packaging materials and have demonstrated promising results in food preservation. Thus, the aim of this Special Issue is to provide readers with an overview of the latest developments and advancements in biopolymer food packaging films aimed at extending the shelf life of foods. In this Special Issue, we encourage the submission of research articles, short communications, or reviews.

Potential topics include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Improvement of mechanical properties of natural polymer materials；
  • Reduce the water sensitivity of natural polymer materials；
  • The potential applications in food packaging, active packaging and intelligent packaging;
  • Characterization of bio-based polymers that have potential as food packaging;
  • The shelf life of packaged food products, storage physicochemical stability during shelf life, and sensory changes during food storage;
  • Design and characterization of polysaccharide- or protein-based films, hydrogels;
  • Encapsulation and delivery of additives or bioactive substances.

Dr. Ying Chen
Dr. Liang Zhang
Dr. Yi Yuan
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

  • polysaccharide
  • protein
  • films
  • coatings
  • hydrogels
  • active packaging

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

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17 pages, 4469 KiB  
Article
Curdlan Incorporation Enhances the Cooking, Rheological, and Textural Attributes of Thermally Sterilized Rice Noodles
by Jing Wang, Yongxin Liu, Qingjie Sun, Man Li, Yanfei Wang and Fengwei Xie
Foods 2025, 14(4), 674; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14040674 - 17 Feb 2025
Viewed by 408
Abstract
Thermal treatment of rice starch, which is the main ingredient in rice noodles and has cooling-set gelling behavior, can disrupt hydrogen bonding, leading to a compromised gel structure. This can lead to a softer texture and reduced textural attributes and cooking characteristics of [...] Read more.
Thermal treatment of rice starch, which is the main ingredient in rice noodles and has cooling-set gelling behavior, can disrupt hydrogen bonding, leading to a compromised gel structure. This can lead to a softer texture and reduced textural attributes and cooking characteristics of rice noodles. This study investigated how thermal sterilization and curdlan integration affect the rheological characteristics, microstructure, and quality of rice noodles. Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, kinetic analysis, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) confirmed that the incorporation of curdlan, a thermally set polysaccharide gel, enhances hydrogen bonding, accelerates gel formation, and yields a denser gel structure to rice noodles. This enhancement improves solid-like behavior, storage modulus, textural properties, and cooking characteristics. Compared to pure rice noodles subjected to thermal sterilization, rice noodles incorporating 2.0% curdlan showed reductions of 74.71% in cooking breakage rate and 68.18% in cooking loss rate. Conversely, hardness and springiness increased by 19.82% and 18.75%, respectively. This study offers valuable insights for developing high-quality fresh rice noodles. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Natural Polymer-Based Films and Coatings for Food Packaging)
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14 pages, 13934 KiB  
Article
Effects of Different Plasticizers on the Structure, Physical Properties and Film Forming Performance of Curdlan Edible Films
by Ying Chen, Jing Wang, Liang Xu, Yuping Nie, Yunyue Ye, Jianya Qian, Fengsong Liu and Liang Zhang
Foods 2024, 13(23), 3930; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13233930 - 5 Dec 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1776
Abstract
This study successfully developed edible films with excellent mechanical strength and notable water resistance, utilizing curdlan (CL) as the primary matrix and incorporating various plasticizers, including glycerol (GLY), ethylene glycol (EG), propylene glycol (PRO), xylitol (XY), sorbitol (SOR), and polyethylene glycol (PEG). A [...] Read more.
This study successfully developed edible films with excellent mechanical strength and notable water resistance, utilizing curdlan (CL) as the primary matrix and incorporating various plasticizers, including glycerol (GLY), ethylene glycol (EG), propylene glycol (PRO), xylitol (XY), sorbitol (SOR), and polyethylene glycol (PEG). A comprehensive suite of analytical techniques, including Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), wide-angle X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), and tensile testing, were employed to evaluate the films’ structural and mechanical properties. After incorporating PEG, the water sensitivity increased slightly, with a contact angle (CA) of 97.6°, and a water solubility (WS) of 18.75%. The inclusion of plasticizers altered the crystalline structure of the CL matrix, smoothing and flattening the film surface while reducing hydrogen-bonding interactions. These structural changes led to a more uniform distribution of amorphous chain segments and a decrease in glass transition temperatures. Among the tested plasticizers, GLY exhibited the highest compatibility with CL, resulting in the smoothest surface morphology and delivering the most effective plasticizing effect. The CL-GLY film showed a dramatic improvement in flexibility, with an elongation at break that was 5.2 times higher than that of the unplasticized film (increasing from 5.39% to 33.14%), indicating significant enhancement in extensibility. Overall, these findings highlight the potential of CL-GLY films as sustainable and effective materials for food packaging applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Natural Polymer-Based Films and Coatings for Food Packaging)
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15 pages, 7195 KiB  
Article
Electrospun Photodynamic Antibacterial Konjac Glucomannan/Polyvinylpyrrolidone Nanofibers Incorporated with Lignin-Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles and Curcumin for Food Packaging
by Huimin Xiao, Lin Wang, Nitong Bu, Jie Duan and Jie Pang
Foods 2024, 13(13), 2007; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13132007 - 25 Jun 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1750
Abstract
Due to the growing concerns surrounding microbial contamination and food safety, there has been a surge of interest in fabricating novel food packaging with highly efficient antibacterial activity. Herein, we describe novel photodynamic antibacterial konjac glucomannan (KGM)/polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) nanofibers incorporated with lignin-zinc oxide [...] Read more.
Due to the growing concerns surrounding microbial contamination and food safety, there has been a surge of interest in fabricating novel food packaging with highly efficient antibacterial activity. Herein, we describe novel photodynamic antibacterial konjac glucomannan (KGM)/polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) nanofibers incorporated with lignin-zinc oxide composite nanoparticles (L-ZnONPs) and curcumin (Cur) via electrospinning technology. The resulting KGM/PVP/Cur/L-ZnONPs nanofibers exhibited favorable hydrophobic properties (water contact angle: 118.1°), thermal stability, and flexibility (elongation at break: 241.9%). Notably, the inclusion of L-ZnONPs and Cur endowed the nanofibers with remarkable antioxidant (ABTS radical scavenging activity: 98.1%) and photodynamic antimicrobial properties, demonstrating enhanced inhibitory effect against both Staphylococcus aureus (inhibition: 12.4 mm) and Escherichia coli (12.1 mm). As a proof-of-concept study, we evaluated the feasibility of applying nanofibers to fresh strawberries, and the findings demonstrated that our nanofibers could delay strawberry spoilage and inhibit microbial growth. This photodynamic antimicrobial approach holds promise for design of highly efficient antibacterial food packaging, thereby contributing to enhanced food safety and quality assurance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Natural Polymer-Based Films and Coatings for Food Packaging)
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Review

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24 pages, 5830 KiB  
Review
Production of Starch-Based Flexible Food Packaging in Developing Countries: Analysis of the Processes, Challenges, and Requirements
by Johanna Garavito, Clara P. Peña-Venegas and Diego A. Castellanos
Foods 2024, 13(24), 4096; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13244096 - 18 Dec 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3000
Abstract
Biodegradable packaging offers an affordable and sustainable solution to global pollution, particularly in developing countries with limited recycling infrastructure. Starch is well suited to develop biodegradable packages for foods due to its wide availability and simple, low-tech production process. Although the development of [...] Read more.
Biodegradable packaging offers an affordable and sustainable solution to global pollution, particularly in developing countries with limited recycling infrastructure. Starch is well suited to develop biodegradable packages for foods due to its wide availability and simple, low-tech production process. Although the development of starch-based packaging is well documented, most studies focus on the laboratory stages of formulation and plasticization, leaving gaps in understanding key phases such as raw material conditioning, industrial-scale molding, post-production processes, and storage. This work evaluates the value chain of starch-based packaging in developing countries. It addresses the challenges, equipment, and process conditions at each stage, highlighting the critical role of moisture resistance in the final product’s functionality. A particular focus is placed on replacing single-use plastic packaging, which dominates food industries in regions with agricultural economies and rich biodiversity. A comprehensive analysis of starch-based packaging production, with a detailed understanding of each stage and the overall process, should contribute to the development of more sustainable and scalable solutions, particularly for the replacement of single-use packages, helping to protect vulnerable biodiverse regions from the growing impact of plastic waste. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Natural Polymer-Based Films and Coatings for Food Packaging)
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32 pages, 6769 KiB  
Review
Strategies and Methodologies for Improving Toughness of Starch Films
by Yiwen Yang, Jun Fu, Qingfei Duan, Huifang Xie, Xinyi Dong and Long Yu
Foods 2024, 13(24), 4036; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13244036 - 13 Dec 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2013
Abstract
Starch films have attracted increasing attention due to their biodegradability, edibility, and potential use as animal feed from post-products. Applications of starch-based films include food packaging, coating, and medicine capsules. However, a major drawback of starch-based films is their brittleness, particularly under dry [...] Read more.
Starch films have attracted increasing attention due to their biodegradability, edibility, and potential use as animal feed from post-products. Applications of starch-based films include food packaging, coating, and medicine capsules. However, a major drawback of starch-based films is their brittleness, particularly under dry conditions, caused by starch retrogradation and the instability of plasticizers. To address this challenge, various strategies and methodologies have been developed, including plasticization, chemical modification, and physical reinforcement. This review covers fundamental aspects, such as the microstructures, phase transitions, and compatibility of starch, as well as application-oriented techniques, including processing methods, plasticizer selection, and chemical modifications. Plasticizers play a crucial role in developing starch-based materials, as they mitigate brittleness and improve processability. Given the abundance of hydroxyl groups in starch, the plasticizers used must also contain hydroxyl or polar groups for compatibility. Chemical modification, such as esterification and etherification, effectively prevents starch recrystallization. Reinforcements, particularly with nanocellulose, significantly improved the mechanical properties of starch film. Drawing upon both the literature and our expertise, this review not only summarizes the advancements in this field but also identifies the limitations of current technologies and outlines promising research directions for future development. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Natural Polymer-Based Films and Coatings for Food Packaging)
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32 pages, 3446 KiB  
Review
Recent Advances in Purple Sweet Potato Anthocyanins: Extraction, Isolation, Functional Properties and Applications in Biopolymer-Based Smart Packaging
by Dawei Yun, Yunlei Wu, Huimin Yong, Chao Tang, Dan Chen, Juan Kan and Jun Liu
Foods 2024, 13(21), 3485; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13213485 - 30 Oct 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2046
Abstract
Petroleum-based plastic packaging materials have negative impacts on the environment and food safety. Natural biopolymer-based food packaging materials are the proper substitutes for plastic-based ones, which is because biopolymers are nontoxic, biodegradable and even edible. The incorporation of bioactive and functional substances into [...] Read more.
Petroleum-based plastic packaging materials have negative impacts on the environment and food safety. Natural biopolymer-based food packaging materials are the proper substitutes for plastic-based ones, which is because biopolymers are nontoxic, biodegradable and even edible. The incorporation of bioactive and functional substances into a biopolymer-based film matrix can produce novel smart packaging materials. Anthocyanins, one class of natural colorants with potent antioxidant activity and pH-response color-changing ability, are suitable for producing biopolymer-based smart packaging films. The purple sweet potato is a functional food rich in anthocyanins. In the past decade, numerous studies have reported the extraction of anthocyanins from purple sweet potato and the utilization of purple sweet potato anthocyanins (PSPAs) in biopolymer-based smart packaging film production. However, no specific review has summarized the recent advances on biopolymer-based smart packaging films containing PSPAs. Therefore, in this review, we aim to systematically summarize the progress on the extraction, isolation, characterization, purification and functional properties of PSPAs. Moreover, we thoroughly introduce the preparation methods, physical properties, antioxidant and antimicrobial activity, pH sensitivity, stability and applications of biopolymer-based smart packaging films containing PSPAs. Factors affecting the extraction and functional properties of PSPAs as well as the properties of biopolymer-based films containing PSPAs are discussed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Natural Polymer-Based Films and Coatings for Food Packaging)
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