Advanced Polymeric Materials for Sustainable Food Packaging, Preservation and Food Safety

Food packaging has evolved from serving as a passive barrier to becoming an essential component of modern food preservation, safety, and sustainability. The growing demand for minimally processed foods, extended shelf life, reduced food waste, and environmentally responsible packaging has driven remarkable advances in polymeric materials and packaging technologies. While conventional petroleum-based plastics continue to dominate the packaging industry because of their excellent mechanical strength, flexibility, and barrier properties, increasing environmental concerns and stricter regulations have accelerated the development of sustainable alternatives, including bio-based and biodegradable polymers.
Recent progress in materials science has enabled the design of multifunctional polymeric materials capable of not only protecting food products but also actively enhancing food quality and safety. Active packaging systems incorporating antimicrobial or antioxidant agents, intelligent packaging with sensing capabilities, polymer nanocomposites with improved barrier performance, and smart packaging integrated with biosensors, IoT technologies, and digital monitoring platforms are transforming the future of food packaging. These innovations contribute to improved food quality, enhanced consumer safety, optimized supply chain management, and support global sustainability goals through reduced environmental impact and circular economy approaches.

This Special Issue aims to provide a multidisciplinary platform for publishing high-quality research and comprehensive reviews on the latest advances in polymeric materials for smart and sustainable food packaging. It seeks to bring together researchers from materials science, polymer engineering, food science, nanotechnology, biotechnology, and related disciplines to present innovative materials, technologies, and applications that improve packaging performance, food safety, product quality, and environmental sustainability. The Special Issue welcomes both fundamental and applied research addressing the design, characterization, processing, functionality, and industrial implementation of advanced polymeric materials for food-contact applications.

Suggested Themes:
Sustainable polymeric materials for food packaging
Bio-based and biodegradable polymers
Active and intelligent food packaging systems
Polymer nanocomposites for food applications
Antimicrobial and antioxidant polymeric materials
Functional coatings and surface modification of packaging materials
Food-contact materials and migration assessment
Mechanical, thermal, and barrier properties of polymeric packaging
Smart packaging integrated with biosensors, RFID, and IoT technologies
Digital monitoring and traceability in food packaging
Advanced materials for shelf-life extension and food preservation
Polymer recycling, circular economy, and sustainable manufacturing
Emerging technologies in food packaging materials
Industrial applications of advanced polymeric materials in the food sector