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Development of Food Packaging Materials

A special issue of Molecules (ISSN 1420-3049). This special issue belongs to the section "Food Chemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2025 | Viewed by 721

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Analytical Chemistry, Nutrition & Food Sciences, University of Alicante, San Vicente del Raspeig, ES-03690 Alicante, Spain
Interests: innovative biodegradable polymers; valorisation of agro-food wastes and by-products; encapsulation systems for bioactive compounds; food active packaging; natural antioxidants/antimicrobials; sustainable extraction methods
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Food packaging is an integral part of the modern food industry, as most food commodities reach the consumer in the form of packaged products. The initial objectives of packaging were to contain, protect, and provide convenience and communication to the consumer. With time, packaging has evolved to include interaction of the package with the contained food product to better preserve product freshness/quality and safety as consumers prefer fresh or lightly processed foodstuffs with increased shelf life. The main packaging materials intended to come in direct contact with foodstuffs include plastics, paper and paperboard, glass, and metals. Another aspect of primary importance in packaging is the extent to which waste coming from packaging materials affects the environment. Thus, contemporary packaging materials should be recyclable in order to reduce environmental pollution. The present Special Issue will focus on scientific and technological innovations in food packaging materials and packaging technologies with the purpose to better preserve the quality and safety of the contained food product while better protecting the environment. Examples of such advances in materials and processes include barrier materials, recyclable materials, active and intelligent materials, biodegradable materials, nanomaterials in packaging, adhesives, and printing materials, as well as the respective processes such as coating, dyeing, printing, recycling, modified atmosphere packaging, active packaging, intelligent packaging, aseptic packaging, irradiation, etc. Submissions of manuscripts from all related fields are welcome.

Prof. Dr. Michael Kontominas
Prof. Dr. María Carmen Garrigós
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 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. Molecules 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

  • plastics, glass, metals, paper/paperboard
  • biodegradable materials
  • recyclable materials
  • active and Intelligent materials
  • nanomaterials in packaging

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Review

22 pages, 7288 KiB  
Review
Synergistic Integration of Carbon Quantum Dots in Biopolymer Matrices: An Overview of Current Advancements in Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Active Packaging
by Ajit Kumar Singh, Pontree Itkor, Myungho Lee, Aphisit Saenjaiban and Youn Suk Lee
Molecules 2024, 29(21), 5138; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules29215138 - 30 Oct 2024
Viewed by 593
Abstract
Approximately one-third of the world’s food production, i.e., 1.43 billion tons, is wasted annually, resulting in economic losses of nearly USD 940 billion and undermining food system sustainability. This waste depletes resources, contributes to greenhouse gas emissions, and negatively affects food security and [...] Read more.
Approximately one-third of the world’s food production, i.e., 1.43 billion tons, is wasted annually, resulting in economic losses of nearly USD 940 billion and undermining food system sustainability. This waste depletes resources, contributes to greenhouse gas emissions, and negatively affects food security and prices. Although traditional packaging preserves food quality, it cannot satisfy the demands of extended shelf life, safety, and sustainability. Consequently, active packaging using biopolymer matrices containing antioxidants and antimicrobials is a promising solution. This review examines the current advancements in the integration of carbon quantum dots (CQDs) into biopolymer-based active packaging, focusing on their antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. CQDs provide unique advantages over traditional nanoparticles and natural compounds, including high biocompatibility, tunable surface functionality, and environmental sustainability. This review explores the mechanisms through which CQDs impart antioxidant and antimicrobial activities, their synthesis methods, and their functionalization to optimize the efficacy of biopolymer matrices. Recent studies have highlighted that CQD-enhanced biopolymers maintain biodegradability with enhanced antioxidant and antimicrobial functions. Additionally, potential challenges, such as toxicity, regulatory considerations, and scalability are discussed, offering insights into future research directions and industrial applications. This review demonstrates the potential of CQD-incorporated biopolymer matrices to transform active packaging, aligning with sustainability goals and advancing food preservation technologies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Development of Food Packaging Materials)
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