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Foods
Special Issues
Composite Edible Films and Coatings from Food-Grade Biopolymers
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Composite Edible Films and Coatings from Food-Grade Biopolymers

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2026 | Viewed by 6104

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Juliano Zanela

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Agronomy School, Federal University of Technology—Paraná, Estrada para Boa Esperança, Km 04, Dois Vizinhos 85660-000, PR, Brazil
Interests: bioactive compounds; active packaging; biodegradable films or coatings
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Gracielle Johann

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Post-Graduation Program of Food Technology, Federal University of Technology—Parana, Estrada para Boa Esperança, km 14, Dois Vizinhos 85660-000, Brazil
Interests: Mathematical modeling; drying; extraction; optimization; data science
Dr. Marianne A. Shirai

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Post-Graduation Program of Food Technology, Federal University of Technology—Parana, Av. João Miguel Caram 731, Londrina, Parana 86036-700, Brazil
Interests: bioactive compounds; coating; films; microencapsulation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Packaging can play an important role in increasing shelf life and food safety, as well as reducing food waste. Edible films and coatings can act passively as a physical barrier, restricting water loss and controlling the gases present in the atmosphere, thus modulating the fruit ripening process, for example. They can also function actively by scavenging molecules or releasing compounds with biological activity, reducing microbial growth and the oxidative rancidity of packaged foods. Different active materials, such as plant extracts and essential oils, have been studied as carriers of activity in edible films and coatings. As such, it is necessary to know how the release and action of active molecules occurs. Especially when applied as a coating, the biopolymers and all additives present in the film formulation will be ingested together with the food, so the entire film composition must be safe for ingestion. Thus, many food-grade biopolymers have been studied—such as starch, gelatin and chitosan, among others—for the production of these materials.

We are pleased to invite you to contribute to this Special Issue, which is aimed at bringing the latest innovations in edible films and coatings, focused on their development and/or application in different foods. Reviews and original research articles are welcome. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following:

  • Development of edible films and coatings based on food-grade polymers;
  • Incorporation of bioactive compounds in edible films and coatings for the development of active or intelligent packaging;
  • Studies of the bioavailability and release kinetics of the bioactive compounds in films;
  • Evaluation of the shelf life of foods with edible films and coatings.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Juliano Zanela
Dr. Gracielle Johann
Dr. Marianne A. Shirai
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

  • shelf life extension
  • active films/ coatings
  • smart films/ coatings
  • food safety
  • food quality
  • bioactive compounds
  • compounds release kinetics
  • by-products

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

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

20 pages, 3695 KB  
Article
Engineering a Compartmentalized Multi-Cell Co-Culture Hydrogel System Using Beeswax/Fucoidan/Alginate for Cultured Meat Modeling
by Jihad Kamel, Jun-Yeong Lee, Sadia Afrin, Usha Yadav, Chandra Jit Yadav, Sung Soo Han and Kyung-Mee Park
Foods 2026, 15(10), 1715; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods15101715 - 13 May 2026
Viewed by 193
Abstract
Objective: Developing foundational biomaterial platforms for cultured meat research requires 3D co-culture systems capable of supporting multiple relevant cell types in a spatially organized manner. This study aimed to establish a compartmentalized tri-culture hydrogel disc incorporating a lipid-containing barrier phase as a [...] Read more.
Objective: Developing foundational biomaterial platforms for cultured meat research requires 3D co-culture systems capable of supporting multiple relevant cell types in a spatially organized manner. This study aimed to establish a compartmentalized tri-culture hydrogel disc incorporating a lipid-containing barrier phase as a proof-of-concept in vitro model. Methods: Beeswax/alginate (Bw/Algi) hydrogels were fabricated and evaluated for morphology and cytocompatibility as a lipid-containing scaffold component. Fucoidan/alginate (Fu/Algi) hydrogels were prepared at varying fucoidan concentrations and screened to identify conditions compatible with C2C12 viability and early-stage differentiation. A composite beeswax/fucoidan/alginate disc (Bw/Fu/Algi) was then assembled by casting cell-laden Fu/Algi regions (myoblasts, fibroblasts, and endothelial cells), separated by Bw/Algi barrier layers and ionically crosslinked with CaCl2. Scaffold performance was assessed using standard assays for morphology, cytocompatibility, myogenic marker expression, protein production, and thermal stability. Results: Bw/Algi supported cytocompatible C2C12 attachment and growth, while Fu/Algi exhibited concentration-dependent effects on myogenic marker expression, enabling selection of an optimized fucoidan concentration for 3D assembly. The final Bw/Fu/Algi disc maintained viable compartmentalized tri-culture and supported indirect co-culture through spatial separation by the Bw barrier. Myogenic regions exhibited myogenic marker expression with measurable protein production, and differential scanning calorimetry confirmed structural stability under heating. Conclusion: This work establishes a Bw/Fu/Algi tri-culture disc integrating a lipid-containing barrier component with hydrogel-based myogenic compartments, providing a preliminary platform for multicellular in vitro modeling and scaffold design relevant to cultured meat research. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Composite Edible Films and Coatings from Food-Grade Biopolymers)
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23 pages, 7383 KB  
Article
Zein–Curcumin Composite Edible Films for Intelligent Packaging: A Natural pH-Sensing Indicator to Monitor Sea Bream Freshness
by Burcu Demirtas, Beyza Keser, Serpil Tural, Latife Betül Gül, Ilay Yilmaz, Mahmut Ekrem Parlak, Ayşe Neslihan Dündar, Maria D’Elia, Luca Rastrelli and Furkan Turker Saricaoglu
Foods 2025, 14(22), 3846; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14223846 - 10 Nov 2025
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 4402
Abstract
This study developed and characterized zein-based edible films enriched with curcumin as natural pH-sensitive indicators for monitoring fish freshness. Colorimetric films were prepared with different curcumin concentrations (1–7% wt) and evaluated for physicochemical, mechanical, optical, and antioxidant properties. Increasing curcumin content reduced water [...] Read more.
This study developed and characterized zein-based edible films enriched with curcumin as natural pH-sensitive indicators for monitoring fish freshness. Colorimetric films were prepared with different curcumin concentrations (1–7% wt) and evaluated for physicochemical, mechanical, optical, and antioxidant properties. Increasing curcumin content reduced water vapor permeability (0.085–0.110 g·mm/m2·h·kPa), lowered water contact angles (<90°), and enhanced hydrophilicity. Films exhibited high brightness, with decreased a* and increased b* values, while light transmission decreased, improving UV barrier properties. Colorimetric response (ΔE*) across pH 3–10 was more pronounced at higher curcumin levels, confirming pH-sensitivity. Antioxidant activity significantly increased with curcumin loading (up to 24.18 µmol Trolox/g). Mechanical analysis revealed decreased tensile strength but improved elongation at break, bursting strength, and deformation, supported by SEM images showing more homogeneous, micro-porous structures at 7% curcumin. Zein films containing 7% (wt) curcumin (Z/CR7) were applied to gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata) fillets stored at 4 °C for 13 days. Results showed lower TBARS and TVB-N values in Z/CR7 compared to the control, indicating delayed lipid oxidation and spoilage. Colorimetric changes in the films corresponded with fish freshness deterioration, providing a clear visual indicator. Microbiological results supported chemical findings, though antimicrobial effects were limited. Curcumin-enriched zein films demonstrated strong potential as intelligent, biodegradable packaging for real-time monitoring of seafood quality. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Composite Edible Films and Coatings from Food-Grade Biopolymers)
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