Advances in Aquatic Food Preservation: Innovative Materials, Intelligent Monitoring and Mechanisms of Quality Deterioration

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue will confront the critical post-harvest challenges presented by the inherent perishability of aquatic foods, whose biochemical characteristics demand innovative preservation solutions beyond conventional methods. The collection will showcase cutting-edge interdisciplinary research organized around three interconnected pillars:

1. Innovative Preservation Materials and Technologies. This segment will highlight revolutionary approaches including active and intelligent packaging systems that release antimicrobial agents or signal spoilage, sustainable biodegradable polymers, edible coatings incorporating natural preservatives, and emerging non-thermal technologies such as plasma-activated water and 3D-printed protective structures for diverse aquatic products.
2. Intelligent Monitoring and Digital Transformation. Focusing on smart supply chain optimization, this section will explore the development of advanced monitoring tools including sensor networks, electronic noses/tongues, and their integration with digital platforms employing AI algorithms, blockchain technology, and digital twin simulations for real-time quality assessment, enhanced traceability, and predictive spoilage management throughout the cold chain.
3. Fundamental Mechanisms and Advanced Assessment Methods. This pillar will investigate the fundamental biochemical pathways of quality deterioration through sophisticated omics technologies (proteomics, metabolomics, metagenomics), while simultaneously presenting innovative non-destructive evaluation techniques for precise quality monitoring and spoilage mechanism elucidation.

By synthesizing these multidisciplinary advances, this Special Issue aims to catalyze the development of sustainable, efficient preservation systems that significantly enhance food safety, extend shelf life, reduce waste, and contribute to global food security objectives through improved aquatic food preservation strategies.

Prof. Dr. Jing Xie
Dr. Jun Mei
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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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.

• active and intelligent packaging
• shelf-life prediction and extension
• food spoilage mechanisms (lipid oxidation, protein degradation)
• freshness indicators and biosensors
• predictive microbiology and AI modeling
• natural antimicrobials and antioxidants
• omics technologies in aquatic food spoilage
• quality deterioration and control