Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
9.0
4.9
Journals
IJMS
Special Issues
Bioactive Molecules from Food Waste in Food Packaging Applications
ijms-logo
Submit to IJMS Review for IJMS Propose a Special Issue

Journal Menu

► Journal Menu

Journal Browser

► Journal Browser
share announcement

Bioactive Molecules from Food Waste in Food Packaging Applications

A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Materials Science".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 March 2026) | Viewed by 3596

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Jennifer Gubitosa

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Chemistry, University of Bari “Aldo Moro”, Via Orabona 4, 70126 Bari, Italy
Interests: contaminants of emerging concern (CECs); organic dyes adsorption; adsorption processes; advanced oxidation processes (AOPs); water remediation technologies; upcycling; circular Economy; green chemistry; nanotechnology; physical chemistry; photochemical processes; photodynamic therapy (PDT); bio-polymers; food packaging; fluorescence spectroscopy; UV-Vis spectroscopy; ATR-FTIR-spectroscopy; X-ray diffraction (XRD); cosmetics; neurocosmetics; cosmetic chemistry; cosmetic formulation; cosmetic dermatology; pharmaceuticals; waste management
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The packaging plays a key role in preserving the foodstuffs’ quality and shelf-life. In the last few decades, traditional food packaging materials have been turning towards more innovative and active ones. For this purpose, bioactive molecules extracted from fruits and vegetables have started being embedded inside packaging materials with the aim to confer peculiar properties such as antioxidant properties, antimicrobial properties, gas and moisture barriers, and so on, and improve the basic functionalities. To also be in line with the Circular Economy principles, agri-food wastes and by-products can easily be recovered for the purposes of extracting other interesting functional biomolecules in order to reach the same goal; therefore, reducing the negative impact on the ecosystems, which is generated by waste management. Based on these preliminary considerations, this Special Issue is devoted to presenting original research and review articles focused on realizing functional packaging materials, which contain embedded bioactive molecules derived from agri-food wastes and by-products.

Dr. Jennifer Gubitosa
Guest Editor

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. International Journal of Molecular Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. There is an Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal. For details about the APC please see here. 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

  • wastes upcycling
  • waste management
  • circular economy
  • green chemistry
  • bioactive molecules
  • agri-food wastes and by-products
  • food packaging
  • active packaging

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

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

Published Papers (3 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
30 pages, 2564 KB  
Review
Valorization of Mushroom Residues for Functional Food Packaging
by Gréta Törős, Hassan El-Ramady, Neama Abdalla, Tamer Elsakhawy and József Prokisch
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26(22), 10870; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms262210870 - 9 Nov 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2445
Abstract
The mushroom industry generates a substantial amount of residues each year, encompassing materials such as processing residues and spent substrates. Much of this biomass is discarded, despite its richness in valuable compounds. Mushroom residues contain bioactive substances including β-glucans, phenolic compounds, proteins, and [...] Read more.
The mushroom industry generates a substantial amount of residues each year, encompassing materials such as processing residues and spent substrates. Much of this biomass is discarded, despite its richness in valuable compounds. Mushroom residues contain bioactive substances including β-glucans, phenolic compounds, proteins, and dietary fiber, all of which are well known for their antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. While fruit and vegetable residues have been extensively explored as raw materials for eco-friendly packaging, mushroom-derived residues remain a largely underutilized resource. Recent studies have highlighted their potential as a renewable source of functional ingredients for sustainable food packaging. By applying green extraction technologies such as ultrasound- or microwave-assisted methods, researchers can recover stable bioactive compounds and incorporate them into biodegradable polymers. Early results are promising: packaging films enriched with mushroom residue extracts demonstrate improved mechanical strength, enhanced barrier properties, and added bioactivity. This strategy aligns with the principles of the Circular Economy, simultaneously reducing environmental impact and adding value to materials that were previously discarded. Although further optimization is needed, particularly regarding extraction efficiency, compound stability, and scalability, the valorization of mushroom residues represents a promising pathway toward the next generation of sustainable, eco-friendly packaging materials. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioactive Molecules from Food Waste in Food Packaging Applications)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

16 pages, 5235 KB  
Article
Bio-Based Dual-Layer UV-Cured Oil- and Water-Resistant Paper Coating for Food Packaging Applications
by Myungho Lee, Anuja P. Rananavare and Youn Suk Lee
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2026, 27(5), 2210; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms27052210 - 26 Feb 2026
Viewed by 512
Abstract
Fluorine-free paper coatings with water- and oil-resistance properties have gained considerable attention for sustainable food packaging applications. In this study, a dual-layer coating based on chitosan (Chi) and acrylated epoxidized soybean oil (AESO), both derived from renewable and natural resources, was applied to [...] Read more.
Fluorine-free paper coatings with water- and oil-resistance properties have gained considerable attention for sustainable food packaging applications. In this study, a dual-layer coating based on chitosan (Chi) and acrylated epoxidized soybean oil (AESO), both derived from renewable and natural resources, was applied to kraft paper. The ultraviolet-cured AESO top layer formed a dense crosslinking network, while the Chi interlayer promoted strong interfacial adhesion with the kraft paper through hydrogen bonding, effectively restricting fluid penetration. The Chi/AESO40/kraft paper showed markedly enhanced water repellency and oil resistance, with a reduced Cobb600 value of 16 g m−2 and kit rating of 12. Thermogravimetric analysis demonstrated improved thermal stability, and mechanical testing results revealed enhanced packaging-relevant strength, with the tensile strength increasing from 33 to 40 MPa and tensile index increasing from 45 to 60 kPa·m2 g−1; furthermore, the burst strength and index improved from 260 to 330 kPa and from 3.2 to 4.0 kPa·m2 g−1, respectively. Food contact tests conducted using French fries confirmed the effective barrier performance of the Chi/AESO/kraft paper, highlighting its potential for use in sustainable paper-based food packaging applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioactive Molecules from Food Waste in Food Packaging Applications)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

19 pages, 3867 KB  
Article
Polylactide Modified with ZnO and Raspberry Leaf Extract as Active Food Packaging
by Magdalena Zdanowicz, Małgorzata Mizielińska and Wojciech Jankowski
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2026, 27(9), 4002; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms27094002 (registering DOI) - 29 Apr 2026
Abstract
The aim of the study was to modify polylactide with zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO), raspberry leaf extract (E), and a combined ZnO/extract system (EZnO) in order to prepare novel packaging materials via a solvent-free method, namely cast extrusion. Physicochemical properties: Morphology (GPC, SEM, [...] Read more.
The aim of the study was to modify polylactide with zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO), raspberry leaf extract (E), and a combined ZnO/extract system (EZnO) in order to prepare novel packaging materials via a solvent-free method, namely cast extrusion. Physicochemical properties: Morphology (GPC, SEM, FTIR), mechanical (tensile tests, puncture), barrier (WVTR, OTR, UV-Vis) and water contact angle for PLA-based films with two thickness ranges were investigated. Additionally, antimicrobial (antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral) tests were performed. GPC results revealed that the presence of the extract counteracted biopolyester degradation during hot melt processing. The best mechanical properties (TS ca. 50 MPa, EB ca. 18%) were obtained for PLA modified with raspberry leaf extract (PLA/E). EZnO addition led to the highest increase in oxygen (with 25%) and water vapor (up to ca. 28%) barrier properties. The material with EZnO addition was also found to be the only one to demonstrate antibacterial effectiveness, although the activity was insignificant. However, the incorporation of EZnO into the biopolymer matrix enhanced its antiviral properties, resulting in the complete inactivation of Φ6 bacteriophage particles used as a surrogate of SARS-CoV-2 virus. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioactive Molecules from Food Waste in Food Packaging Applications)
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-3
Back to TopTop