Advanced Materials for Sustainable Food Packaging: Films, Coatings, Emulsions, and Gels

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 June 2026 | Viewed by 212

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
School of Food Science and Engineering, Yangzhou University, Huayang Xilu 196, Yangzhou 225127, China
Interests: control of water sensitivity in polysaccharide-based films; edible super-hydrophobic functional packaging materials (self-cleaning, anti-adhesion, antibacterial); exploration and utilization of novel starch resources; comprehensive utilization of grains and agricultural wastes
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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 Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The global demand for innovative and sustainable food packaging materials is rapidly increasing due to growing concerns over food safety, environmental impact, and shelf-life extension. This Special Issue aims to gather cutting-edge research on the development, characterization, and application of advanced materials used in food packaging, particularly focusing on films, coatings, emulsions, and gels. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Biodegradable and edible films and coatings;
  • Functional emulsions and hydrogels for active packaging;
  • Nanocomposites and barrier-enhancing strategies;
  • Antimicrobial and antioxidant agents in packaging systems;
  • Smart and responsive packaging technologies;
  • Environmental assessment and regulatory considerations;
  • 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;

We invite original research articles and reviews in the field of food packaging materials. Contributions exploring novel formulation strategies, structure–function relationships, and real-world applications are particularly welcome.

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 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-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
  • emulsions
  • active packaging

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

20 pages, 3267 KB  
Article
Investigating the Shelf-Life Extension of Shrimp Surimi Using a Polysaccharide-Based Film from Alpinia oxyphylla
by Meng Wang, Zengshuo Huang, Feng Li, Yebao Chen, Fangfang Ban, Hua Yang, Siming Zhu and Junlin Wu
Foods 2026, 15(3), 530; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods15030530 - 3 Feb 2026
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Abstract
To investigate the effect of a polysaccharide-based composite film (ASC) composed of Alpinia oxyphylla polysaccharide (its molecular weight was approximately 4.07 kDa, and the monosaccharide composition was predominantly glucose and galacturonic acid), sodium alginate, and calcium chloride on the storage quality of shrimp [...] Read more.
To investigate the effect of a polysaccharide-based composite film (ASC) composed of Alpinia oxyphylla polysaccharide (its molecular weight was approximately 4.07 kDa, and the monosaccharide composition was predominantly glucose and galacturonic acid), sodium alginate, and calcium chloride on the storage quality of shrimp surimi, this study compared the preservation efficacy of the ASC film with that of treatments using chitosan, potassium sorbate, ascorbic acid, sodium alginate, Alpinia oxyphylla polysaccharide, and distilled water. Samples were stored at 4 °C for 12 days, and evaluations were conducted by measuring film structural characteristics and quality indicators of shrimp surimi. Results showed that the ASC groups (where Alpinia oxyphylla polysaccharide was added at 20%, 30%, and 40% of the sodium alginate mass, designated as ASC 20%, ASC 30%, and ASC 40%) significantly outperformed the control group across all quality indicators. The ASC 30% group demonstrated the best overall preservation performance, effectively delaying oxidative browning, protein degradation, lipid oxidation, and microbial growth in shrimp surimi. The ASC 40% group exhibited particularly strong antibacterial effects, while the ASC 20% group also showed stable preservation performance. The composite film combines the antioxidant and antibacterial activities of Alpinia oxyphylla polysaccharide with the barrier and moisture-retention properties of sodium alginate, forming a stable three-dimensional network structure through calcium chloride cross-linking. It is superior to single/individual chemical preservatives in terms of film-forming ability, functionality, and safety, providing a natural, effective, and environmentally friendly preservation approach for shrimp surimi and other aquatic products. It also offers a theoretical foundation and practical reference for the development of natural preservation technologies in the food industry. Full article
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