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Advanced Polymer Materials in Food Science

A special issue of Polymers (ISSN 2073-4360). This special issue belongs to the section "Polymer Applications".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 October 2025) | Viewed by 244

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, Piazza Goidanich, 47521 Cesena, Italy
Interests: food contact materials; food safety; shelf life; polymers; nanocomposites

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The application of advanced polymer materials in food science has garnered significant attention due to their unique properties and diverse applications. These materials play a crucial role in areas such as food packaging, preservation, and safety. Innovations in biodegradable polymers, edible coatings, and food-contact materials are helping to address sustainability concerns and improve food quality. In this Special Issue, we aim to highlight the latest advancements in polymer materials for the food industry. We welcome contributions that explore new materials, novel applications, and the integration of polymers with other technologies to enhance food safety and shelf life. Research articles or reviews covering any aspect of this exciting field are encouraged, as we seek to showcase the potential of advanced polymers in revolutionizing food science.

Dr. Muhammad Rehan Khan
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. Polymers 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 2700 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

  • advanced polymers
  • food packaging
  • biodegradable materials
  • food safety
  • edible coatings
  • food preservation
  • polymer composites
  • sustainable materials
  • smart polymers
  • food-contact materials

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Review

37 pages, 2790 KB  
Review
Modified Tuber Starches as Sustainable Biopolymers for the Encapsulating Bioactive Compounds: A Comprehensive Review
by César Samaniego-Rafaele, Rebeca Salvador-Reyes, Grimaldo Quispe-Santivañez and Maritza Barriga-Sánchez
Polymers 2025, 17(24), 3257; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17243257 - 7 Dec 2025
Abstract
Modified tuber starches have gained relevance as innovative and versatile materials for the encapsulation of bioactive compounds, distinguishing themselves from synthetic polymers due to their biocompatibility, biodegradability, and tunable functionality. This review analyzes the effects of physical, chemical, and biochemical modifications on the [...] Read more.
Modified tuber starches have gained relevance as innovative and versatile materials for the encapsulation of bioactive compounds, distinguishing themselves from synthetic polymers due to their biocompatibility, biodegradability, and tunable functionality. This review analyzes the effects of physical, chemical, and biochemical modifications on the composition and morphological, rheological, thermal, and techno-functional properties of tuber starches, as well as their development prospects as coating materials in encapsulation techniques such as spray drying, freeze-drying, electrospinning, and emulsification. The evidence reviewed indicates that modified tuber starches exhibit reduced retrogradation, higher thermal resistance, improved solubility, and better digestibility, facilitating their application as protective agents. The main challenges for their industrial implementation are identified and analyzed, including the standardization of processes, scalability, and the ambiguous regulatory framework. In the future, research in this area should be directed toward the optimization of “clean-label” methodologies and the valorization of non-conventional tuber sources, thereby consolidating the development of safer, more effective, and more sustainable encapsulation systems for the food industry. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Polymer Materials in Food Science)
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