Application of Polymer Materials in the Food Packaging

Dear Colleagues,

Food packaging, which plays a crucial role in the food industry, is in fact very complex in nature. In addition to meeting strict food regulations, the new packaging materials should also respond to increased food production demands, globalisation, and the lifestyles changes, in addition to satisfying the increased consumers’ awareness and requirements mainly directed toward packaging’ sustainability and its impact on the environment. The packaging materials, in general, should preserve the quality of the packaged food by providing the needed micro-environment and protect it from physical damage, (UV) light, microbial contamination and other impurities, air (oxygen), and water vapor transpiration. Preserving the quality and potentially extending the shelf life of the packaged food could result in less food waste and more food for everyone on the planet.

In the past few decades, the food packaging trends have been focused to adding variety of novel functions to the traditional packaging materials, such as active packaging, intelligent packaging, and edible and bio-derived packaging. Antimicrobial, antioxidant, and other functionalities have been added to the packaging providing health benefits to the consumers. The “smart” interaction features added to the packaging material further facilitate or monitor the interaction between the packaged food and its surroundings. Moreover, the increased awareness for the future of the planet has forced the development teams to focus on sourcing sustainable raw ingredients for packaging applications and develop re-usable and recyclable packaging materials and designs.

A number of studies in recent decades have shown that modified traditional polymers are very promising materials for a variety of food categories; they can suit the novel sustainable trends by making them recyclable, biodegradable, reusable, or play a part in the circular economy systems. In addition, novel biodegradable and bio-based materials are thoroughly investigated all over the world in terms of their properties and cost reduction as alternatives to traditional polymers; at the same time, they act as high-performance multifunctional and sustainable materials.

Dr. Anka Trajkovska Petkoska
Dr. Anita Trajkovska-Broach
Dr. Nishant Kumar
Prof. Dr. Olaniyi Amos Fawole
Guest Editors

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