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Nanomaterials
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Nanomaterials for Food Packaging
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Nanomaterials for Food Packaging

A special issue of Nanomaterials (ISSN 2079-4991). This special issue belongs to the section "Nanocomposite Materials".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 April 2022) | Viewed by 14819

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Aris Giannakas

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Food Science and Technology, School of Agricultural Sciences, University of Patras, 30100 Agrinio, Greece
Interests: chemical technology; nanostructures in food technology; polymers and biopolymers composites and nanocomposites; biopolymers hydrogels; bioactive nanostructures; nanomaterials; microemulsions; nanoemulsions; active packaging; control release; food processing and preservation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In recent years, consumer’s consciousness of the strong relationship between food quality and health has extensively impacted the packaging field. Nowadays, indeed, a packaging material is asked to match the handling and storage conditions with the quality and safety of foodstuffs. As a consequence, the food sector investigates and evaluates sophisticated packaging solutions to extend shelf life, optimize value for money, and improve marketing. Nanotechnology is an important tool that has been found useful in the food industry and most especially food packaging. In this view, nanomaterials, which are currently a subject of vivid research in academia, are emerged as potential additives to improve the functional properties of food packaging. According to their dimensionality, nanomaterials can be classified as zero- (0-D), 1- (1-D), and 2-dimensional (2-D). More specifically, 0-D nanomaterials relate to nanoparticles, 1-D nanomaterials relate mainly to nanotubes and nanofibers, while 2-D nanomaterials characterized by their platy structure in their elementary units. Recently nanomaterials are used in food packaging either to improve mechanical, barrier, antioxidant, and antimicrobial properties either to act as nanocarriers for bioactive compounds such as essential oils. This special issue aspires to include the most recent trends of nanomaterials used for food packaging applications.

Dr. Aris Giannakas
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 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. Nanomaterials 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

  • nanotubes
  • nanofibers
  • nanoclays
  • metal oxides
  • metal nanoparticles
  • nanocarriers
  • bioactive compounds

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

21 pages, 3420 KiB  
Article
Nanocomposite Film Development Based on Chitosan/Polyvinyl Alcohol Using ZnO@Montmorillonite and ZnO@Halloysite Hybrid Nanostructures for Active Food Packaging Applications
by Aris E. Giannakas, Constantinos E. Salmas, Dimitrios Moschovas, Maria Baikousi, Eleni Kollia, Vasiliki Tsigkou, Anastasios Karakassides, Areti Leontiou, George Kehayias, Apostolos Avgeropoulos and Charalampos Proestos
Nanomaterials 2022, 12(11), 1843; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano12111843 - 27 May 2022
Cited by 22 | Viewed by 2514
Abstract
The global turn from the linear to the circular economy imposes changes in common activities such as food packaging. The use of biodegradable materials such as polyvinyl alcohol, natural raw materials such as clays, and food byproducts such as chitosan to develop novel [...] Read more.
The global turn from the linear to the circular economy imposes changes in common activities such as food packaging. The use of biodegradable materials such as polyvinyl alcohol, natural raw materials such as clays, and food byproducts such as chitosan to develop novel food packaging films attracts the interest of industrial and institutional research centers. In this study, novel hybrid nanostructures were synthesized via the growth of zinc oxide nanorods on the surface of two nanoclays. The obtained nanostructures were incorporated with chitosan/polyvinyl alcohol composite either as nanoreinforcement or as an active agent to develop packaging films. The developed films were characterized via XRD, FTIR, mechanical, water-vapor diffusion, water sorption, and oxygen permeability measurements. Antimicrobial activity measurements were carried out against four different pathogen microorganisms. XRD indicated the formation of an intercalated nanocomposite structure for both types of nanoclays. Furthermore, improved tensile, water/oxygen barrier, and antimicrobial properties were recorded for all films compared to the pure chitosan/polyvinyl alcohol film. Overall, the results indicated that the use of the bio-based developed films led to an extension of food shelf life and could be used as novel active food packaging materials. Among them, the most promising film was the 6% wt. ZnO@halloysite. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanomaterials for Food Packaging)
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25 pages, 6558 KiB  
Article
Effect of Na- and Organo-Modified Montmorillonite/Essential Oil Nanohybrids on the Kinetics of the In Situ Radical Polymerization of Styrene
by Ioannis S. Tsagkalias, Alexandra Loukidi, Stella Chatzimichailidou, Constantinos E. Salmas, Aris E. Giannakas and Dimitris S. Achilias
Nanomaterials 2021, 11(2), 474; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano11020474 - 13 Feb 2021
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 2524
Abstract
The great concern about the use of hazardous additives in food packaging materials has shown the way to new bio-based materials, such as nanoclays incorporating bioactive essential oils (EO). One of the still unresolved issues is the proper incorporation of these materials into [...] Read more.
The great concern about the use of hazardous additives in food packaging materials has shown the way to new bio-based materials, such as nanoclays incorporating bioactive essential oils (EO). One of the still unresolved issues is the proper incorporation of these materials into a polymeric matrix. The in situ polymerization seems to be a promising technique, not requiring high temperatures or toxic solvents. Therefore, in this study, the bulk radical polymerization of styrene was investigated in the presence of sodium montmorillonite (NaMMT) and organo-modified montmorillonite (orgMMT) including thyme (TO), oregano (OO), and basil (BO) essential oil. It was found that the hydroxyl groups present in the main ingredients of TO and OO may participate in side retardation reactions leading to lower polymerization rates (measured gravimetrically by the variation of monomer conversion with time) accompanied by higher polymer average molecular weight (measured via GPC). The use of BO did not seem to affect significantly the polymerization kinetics and polymer MWD. These results were verified from independent experiments using model compounds, thymol, carvacrol and estragol instead of the clays. Partially intercalated structures were revealed from XRD scans. The glass transition temperature (from DSC) and the thermal stability (from TGA) of the nanocomposites formed were slightly increased from 95 to 98 °C and from 435 to 445 °C, respectively. Finally, better dispersion was observed when orgMMT was added instead of NaMMT. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanomaterials for Food Packaging)
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19 pages, 4874 KiB  
Article
Synthesis of D-Limonene Loaded Polymeric Nanoparticles with Enhanced Antimicrobial Properties for Potential Application in Food Packaging
by Eleftherios G. Andriotis, Rigini M. Papi, Adamantini Paraskevopoulou and Dimitris S. Achilias
Nanomaterials 2021, 11(1), 191; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano11010191 - 13 Jan 2021
Cited by 19 | Viewed by 3428
Abstract
Mini-emulsion polymerization was applied for the synthesis of cross-linked polymeric nanoparticles comprised of methyl methacrylate (MMA) and Triethylene Glycol Dimethacrylate (TEGDMA) copolymers, used as matrix-carriers for hosting D-limonene. D-limonene was selected as a model essential oil, well known for its pleasant odor and [...] Read more.
Mini-emulsion polymerization was applied for the synthesis of cross-linked polymeric nanoparticles comprised of methyl methacrylate (MMA) and Triethylene Glycol Dimethacrylate (TEGDMA) copolymers, used as matrix-carriers for hosting D-limonene. D-limonene was selected as a model essential oil, well known for its pleasant odor and its enhanced antimicrobial properties. The synthesized particles were assessed for their morphology and geometric characteristics by Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), which revealed the formation of particles with mean diameters at the nanoscale (D[3,2] = 0.135 μm), with a spherical shape, while the dried particles formed larger clusters of several microns (D[3,2] = 80.69 μm). The percentage of the loaded D-limonene was quantified by Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA), complemented by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry analysis coupled with a pyrolysis unit (Py/GC-MS). The results showed that the volatiles emitted by the nanoparticles were composed mainly of D-limonene (10% w/w of dry particles). Particles subjected to higher temperatures tended to decompose. The mechanism that governs the release of D-limonene from the as-synthesized particles was studied by fitting mathematical models to the release data obtained by isothermal TGA analysis of the dry particles subjected to accelerated conditions. The analysis revealed a two-stage release of the volatiles, one governed by D-limonene release and the other governed by TEGDMA release. Finally, the antimicrobial potency of the D-limonene-loaded particles was demonstrated, indicating the successful synthesis of polymeric nanoparticles loaded with D-limonene, owing to enhanced antimicrobial properties. The overall performance of these nanoparticles renders them a promising candidate material for the formation of self-sterilized surfaces with enhanced antimicrobial activity and potential application in food packaging. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanomaterials for Food Packaging)
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14 pages, 1504 KiB  
Article
Combined Effect of Active Packaging of Polyethylene Filled with a Nano-Carrier of Salicylate and Modified Atmosphere to Improve the Shelf Life of Fresh Blueberries
by Valeria Bugatti, Maria Cefola, Nicola Montemurro, Michela Palumbo, Laura Quintieri, Bernardo Pace and Giuliana Gorrasi
Nanomaterials 2020, 10(12), 2513; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano10122513 - 14 Dec 2020
Cited by 15 | Viewed by 2528
Abstract
Blueberries are popular among consumers for their high nutritional value but are highly perishable due to the microbial decay. The use of active packaging that is able to interact with the food through releasing or absorbing substances can be a valid approach to [...] Read more.
Blueberries are popular among consumers for their high nutritional value but are highly perishable due to the microbial decay. The use of active packaging that is able to interact with the food through releasing or absorbing substances can be a valid approach to preserve the quality and increase the fruit’s shelf-life. In this paper, an active packaging based on polyethylene (PE) filled with a nano-carrier of salicylate was prepared and characterized. Fresh blueberries were packaged in passive modified atmosphere packaging (pMA) for 13 days at 8 °C. The combination of the active filler in bulk and pMA showed a significant inhibition of mold development and a reduction of the respiration rate of fruits. Moreover, the release of salicylate on blueberries did not alter the fruits’ sensory traits and preserved the firmness and the nutritional quality. Finally, the combination of active packaging and pMA resulted a valid solution to extend blueberries’ shelf-life up to 13 days. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanomaterials for Food Packaging)
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17 pages, 3001 KiB  
Article
Development of ZnO/Na-Montmorillonite Hybrid Nanostructures Used for PVOH/ZnO/Na-Montmorillonite Active Packaging Films Preparation via a Melt-Extrusion Process
by Constantinos Salmas, Aris Giannakas, Petros Katapodis, Areti Leontiou, Dimitrios Moschovas and Andreas Karydis-Messinis
Nanomaterials 2020, 10(6), 1079; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano10061079 - 31 May 2020
Cited by 18 | Viewed by 3060
Abstract
Nowadays, the shelf-life extension of foods is a topic of major interest because of its environmental and economic benefits. For this purpose, various methods like deep-freezing, ultra-high-temperature pasteurization, drying methods, use of chemicals, controlled-atmosphere preservation, ionizing irradiation, and were investigated. During the last [...] Read more.
Nowadays, the shelf-life extension of foods is a topic of major interest because of its environmental and economic benefits. For this purpose, various methods like deep-freezing, ultra-high-temperature pasteurization, drying methods, use of chemicals, controlled-atmosphere preservation, ionizing irradiation, and were investigated. During the last years, the smart packaging for foods using natural biodegradable components is of great interest because it provides positive environmental fingerprint and high shelf-life extension. In the present work, a new nanostructured composite material, the ZnO/Na-Montmorillonite hybrid, was developed. The high antimicrobial properties of the 3-D ZnO material in combination with the high barrier and strength properties of the 2-D Na-Montmorillonite material provided a high promising component for food smart packaging applications. As an extra innovation of this process, the ZnO nanorods coated the external surface of the Na-Montmorillonite and it was not intercalated into the clay as a pillaring material. This new material was incorporated with a 3% w/w composition with a biodegradable poly(vinyl)alcohol (PVOH) polymeric matrix which also exhibits antimicrobial activity. The final product was tested via XRD, FTIR, SEM, tensile test, water sorption, water vapor permeability, oxygen permeability UV–vis, and anti-microbial activity tests and it exhibited advanced mechanical and antimicrobial properties, especially for a ZnO/Na-Montmorillonite fraction of 4:1. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanomaterials for Food Packaging)
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16 pages, 3320 KiB  
Article
Na-Montmorillonite Vs. Organically Modified Montmorillonite as Essential Oil Nanocarriers for Melt-Extruded Low-Density Poly-Ethylene Nanocomposite Active Packaging Films with a Controllable and Long-Life Antioxidant Activity
by Aris Giannakas
Nanomaterials 2020, 10(6), 1027; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano10061027 - 27 May 2020
Cited by 21 | Viewed by 2730
Abstract
Nowadays, active packaging is becoming significant for the extension of the shelf life of food products via the incorporation of raw nanomaterials such as nanoclays and bioactive compounds such as essential oils (EO). This study aims to study the performance of the sodium [...] Read more.
Nowadays, active packaging is becoming significant for the extension of the shelf life of food products via the incorporation of raw nanomaterials such as nanoclays and bioactive compounds such as essential oils (EO). This study aims to study the performance of the sodium montmorillonite (NaMt) and organically modified montmorillonite (OrgMt) as thyme (TO), oregano (OO), and basil (BO) essential oil (EO) control release nanocarriers in low-density poly-ethylene (LDPE) active films. NaMt and OrgMt nanofillers are modified with low (20 wt.%), medium (40 wt.%), and high (80 wt.%) nominal contents of TO, OO, and BO. The novel active packaging films were tested using the X-ray diffraction method (XRD), tensile, water, and oxygen barrier properties, and antioxidant activity tests. For the two most active packaging films, the lipid oxidation of chicken breast fillets estimated by the thiobarbituric-acid-reacting substances (TBARS) method. Overall study shows that both NaMtEO-based and OrgMt-based films exhibited controllable and sustained antioxidant activity. All films retained up to 50–70% of their antioxidant activity after six months of incubation. OrgMtEO-based LDPE films showed more significance applied as active packaging films than NaMtEO-based LDPE films because of their highest tensile and barrier properties. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanomaterials for Food Packaging)
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