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Recent Trends in Active Food Packaging
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Recent Trends in Active Food Packaging

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 August 2021) | Viewed by 19810

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Alfonso Jimenez

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Analytical Chemistry, Nutrition & Food Sciences, University of Alicante, San Vicente del Raspeig, ES-03690 Alicante, Spain
Interests: biopolymers; analytical methods; valorization; sustainable extraction methods; active food packaging
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. María Carmen Garrigós

E-Mail Website
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
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue is related to one of the most innovative applications in the field of the food industry, which is active food packaging. The development of new active systems for food packaging is becoming an object of increased interest and research due to its high potential to improve the protection of packaged food. The traditional concept of minimal interaction between packaging and foodstuffs has been cast aside with the development of active packaging, where such interactions are considered beneficial. These systems interact with food or with its headspace, modifying positively the sensorial, nutritive, and microbiological properties of food and consequently increasing its shelf-life and overall quality. In particular, antimicrobial and antioxidant packaging systems have caught the attention of the food processing industries, as these systems are able to control microbiological growth and avoid the oxidative deterioration of perishable food. For this purpose, antioxidant and preservative compounds are added or released into the headspace of packaging by using sachets, labels, or films since the controlled release of these active compounds is an important issue. Active packaging systems also involve scavenging or the absorption of undesirable compounds such as ethylene, moisture, carbon dioxide, oxygen, and off-flavours.

Different strategies have been reported for the development of new active food packaging systems, including active nanocomposites, edible or biodegradable materials, and the use of natural plant extracts due to the current consumer's preference for more sustainable packaging materials. The production of multilayer matrices for the incorporation and controlled release of active components towards foodstuffs is also a trending technology.

The aim of this Special Issue is to highlight cutting-edge technologies in the field of new materials for active food packaging, including the synthesis, modification, and functionalization of polymer matrices as well as the extraction, isolation, and purification of chemicals with different functionalities to be used in this application. Reviews of future studies, perspectives, and policy issues are also welcome.

Prof. Dr. Alfonso Jimenez
Prof. Dr. María Carmen Garrigós Selva
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

  • Sustainable extraction methods for active compounds;
  • Active plant extracts;
  • Functionalization;
  • Biobased polymers and nanocomposites;
  • Controlled release;
  • Multilayer matrices;
  • Edible films and coatings;
  • Antimicrobial and antioxidant packaging systems;
  • Gas scavenging systems.

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

12 pages, 2175 KiB  
Communication
Inhibitory Effect and Mechanism of Chitosan–Ag Complex Hydrogel on Fungal Disease in Grape
by Weizhong He, Yajuan Zhu, Yan Chen, Qi Shen, Zhenyu Hua, Xian Wang and Peng Xue
Molecules 2022, 27(5), 1688; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27051688 - 04 Mar 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1589
Abstract
Hydrogel antibacterial agent is an ideal antibacterial material because of its ability to diffuse antibacterial molecules into the decayed area by providing a suitable microenvironment and acting as a protective barrier on the decay interface. The biocompatibility and biodegradation make the removal process [...] Read more.
Hydrogel antibacterial agent is an ideal antibacterial material because of its ability to diffuse antibacterial molecules into the decayed area by providing a suitable microenvironment and acting as a protective barrier on the decay interface. The biocompatibility and biodegradation make the removal process easy and it is already widely used in medical fields. However, there have been few reports on its application for controlling postharvest diseases in fruit. In this study, the Chitosan–silver (CS–Ag) complex hydrogels were prepared using the physical crosslinking method, which is used for controlling postharvest diseases in grape. The prepared hydrogels were stable for a long period at room temperature. The structure and surface morphology of CS–Ag composite hydrogels were characterized by UV-Vis, FTIR, SEM, and XRD. The inhibitory effects of CS–Ag hydrogel on disease in grape caused by P. expansum, A. niger, and B. cinerea were investigated both in vivo and in vitro. The remarkable antibacterial activity of CS–Ag hydrogels was mainly due to the combined antibacterial and antioxidant effects of CS and Ag. Preservation tests showed that the CS–Ag hydrogel had positive fresh-keeping effect. This revealed that CS–Ag hydrogels can play a critical role in controlling fungal disease in grapes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Trends in Active Food Packaging)
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21 pages, 3042 KiB  
Article
Packham’s Triumph Pears (Pyrus communis L.) Post-Harvest Treatment during Cold Storage Based on Chitosan and Rue Essential Oil
by Yeimmy Peralta-Ruiz, Carlos David Grande-Tovar, Diana Paola Navia Porras, Angie Sinning-Mangonez, Johannes Delgado-Ospina, María González-Locarno, Yarley Maza Pautt and Clemencia Chaves-López
Molecules 2021, 26(3), 725; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26030725 - 30 Jan 2021
Cited by 16 | Viewed by 3636
Abstract
Pears (Pyrus communis L.) cv. Packham’s Triumph are very traditional for human consumption, but pear is a highly perishable climacteric fruit with a short shelf-life affected by several diseases with a microbial origin. In this study, a protective effect on the quality [...] Read more.
Pears (Pyrus communis L.) cv. Packham’s Triumph are very traditional for human consumption, but pear is a highly perishable climacteric fruit with a short shelf-life affected by several diseases with a microbial origin. In this study, a protective effect on the quality properties of pears was evidenced after the surface application of chitosan-Ruta graveolens essential oil coatings (CS + RGEO) in four different concentrations (0, 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 %, v/v) during 21 days of storage under 18 °C. After 21 days of treatment, a weight loss reduction of 10% (from 40.2 ± 5.3 to 20.3 ± 3.9) compared to the uncoated pears was evident with CS + RGEO 0.5%. All the fruits’ physical-chemical properties evidenced a protective effect of the coatings. The maturity index increased for all the treatments. However, the pears with CS + RGEO 1.5% were lower (70.21) than the uncoated fruits (98.96). The loss of firmness for the uncoated samples was higher compared to the coated samples. The pears’ most excellent mechanical resistance was obtained with CS + RGEO 0.5% after 21 days of storage, both for compression resistance (7.42 kPa) and force (22.7 N). Microbiological studies demonstrated the protective power of the coatings. Aerobic mesophilic bacteria and molds were significantly reduced (in 3 Log CFU/g compared to control) using 15 µL/mL of RGEO, without affecting consumer perception. The results presented in this study showed that CS + RGEO coatings are promising in the post-harvest treatment of pears. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Trends in Active Food Packaging)
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14 pages, 3172 KiB  
Article
Antioxidant Packaging Films Based on Ethylene Vinyl Alcohol Copolymer (EVOH) and Caffeic Acid
by Francesca Luzi, Luigi Torre and Debora Puglia
Molecules 2020, 25(17), 3953; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules25173953 - 29 Aug 2020
Cited by 27 | Viewed by 3437
Abstract
The main objective of this research activity was to design and realize active films with tunable food functional properties. In detail, caffeic acid (CA), a polyphenol with high antioxidant effect, was used as active ingredient in poly (vinyl alcohol-co-ethylene) (EVOH) films at 5 [...] Read more.
The main objective of this research activity was to design and realize active films with tunable food functional properties. In detail, caffeic acid (CA), a polyphenol with high antioxidant effect, was used as active ingredient in poly (vinyl alcohol-co-ethylene) (EVOH) films at 5 wt.% and 15 wt.% and successfully realized by means of the solvent casting process. Optical, morphological, thermal and mechanical studies were considered to define the effect of the presence of the CA component on the structural properties of the matrix. In addition, moisture content and antioxidant activity were evaluated, to have clear information on the CA effect in terms of functional characteristics of realized food packaging systems. Results from tensile tests showed increased values for strength and deformation at break in EVOH_CA based films. Results from colorimetric and transparency analysis underlined that the presence of caffeic acid in EVOH copolymer induces some alterations, whereas the addition of the active ingredient determined a positive radical scavenging activity of the formulations, confirming the possibility of practically using these polymeric systems in the food packaging sector. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Trends in Active Food Packaging)
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23 pages, 4327 KiB  
Article
Tailoring the Properties of Thermo-Compressed Polylactide Films for Food Packaging Applications by Individual and Combined Additions of Lactic Acid Oligomer and Halloysite Nanotubes
by Sandra Rojas-Lema, Luis Quiles-Carrillo, Daniel Garcia-Garcia, Beatriz Melendez-Rodriguez, Rafael Balart and Sergio Torres-Giner
Molecules 2020, 25(8), 1976; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules25081976 - 23 Apr 2020
Cited by 29 | Viewed by 3651
Abstract
In this work, films of polylactide (PLA) prepared by extrusion and thermo-compression were plasticized with oligomer of lactic acid (OLA) at contents of 5, 10, and 20 wt%. The PLA sample containing 20 wt% of OLA was also reinforced with 3, 6, and [...] Read more.
In this work, films of polylactide (PLA) prepared by extrusion and thermo-compression were plasticized with oligomer of lactic acid (OLA) at contents of 5, 10, and 20 wt%. The PLA sample containing 20 wt% of OLA was also reinforced with 3, 6, and 9 parts per hundred resin (phr) of halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) to increase the mechanical strength and thermal stability of the films. Prior to melt mixing, ultrasound-assisted dispersion of the nanoclays in OLA was carried out at 100 °C to promote the HNTs dispersion in PLA and the resultant films were characterized with the aim to ascertain their potential in food packaging. It was observed that either the individual addition of OLA or combined with 3 phr of HNTs did not significantly affect the optical properties of the PLA films, whereas higher nanoclay contents reduced lightness and induced certain green and blue tonalities. The addition of 20 wt% of OLA increased ductility of the PLA film by nearly 75% and also decreased the glass transition temperature (Tg) by over 18 °C. The incorporation of 3 phr of HNTs into the OLA-containing PLA films delayed thermal degradation by 7 °C and additionally reduced the permeabilities to water and limonene vapors by approximately 8% and 47%, respectively. Interestingly, the highest barrier performance was attained for the unfilled PLA film plasticized with 10 wt% of OLA, which was attributed to a crystallinity increase and an effect of “antiplasticization”. However, loadings of 6 and 9 phr of HNTs resulted in the formation of small aggregates that impaired the performance of the blend films. The here-attained results demonstrates that the properties of ternary systems of PLA/OLA/HNTs can be tuned when the plasticizer and nanofiller contents are carefully chosen and the resultant nanocomposite films can be proposed as a bio-sourced alternative for compostable packaging applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Trends in Active Food Packaging)
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12 pages, 3090 KiB  
Article
Barrier Properties and Characterizations of Poly(lactic Acid)/ZnO Nanocomposites
by Zhenya Tang, Fangling Fan, Zhuangzhuang Chu, Chunli Fan and Yuyue Qin
Molecules 2020, 25(6), 1310; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules25061310 - 13 Mar 2020
Cited by 31 | Viewed by 3454
Abstract
This study aimed to reinforce the barrier performance (i.e., oxygen–gas and water–vapor permeability) of poly(lactic acid) (PLA)-based films. Acetyltributylcitrate and zinc oxide nanoparticle (nano-ZnO), serving as plasticizer and nanofiller, respectively, were blended into a PLA matrix through a solvent-volatilizing method. The structural, morphological, [...] Read more.
This study aimed to reinforce the barrier performance (i.e., oxygen–gas and water–vapor permeability) of poly(lactic acid) (PLA)-based films. Acetyltributylcitrate and zinc oxide nanoparticle (nano-ZnO), serving as plasticizer and nanofiller, respectively, were blended into a PLA matrix through a solvent-volatilizing method. The structural, morphological, thermal, and mechanical performances were then studied. Scanning electron microscopic images showed a significant dispersion of nano-ZnO in PLA ternary systems with low nano-ZnO content. The interaction between PLA matrix and ZnO nanoparticles was further analyzed by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. Wide-angle X-ray scattering spectroscopy demonstrated high compatibility between PLA matrix and ZnO nanoparticles. Mechanical property studies revealed good tensile strength and low flexibility. Differential scanning calorimetry curves proved that an amorphous structure mostly existed in PLA ternary systems. The improvements in barrier property and tensile strength indicated that the PLA/nano-ZnO composite films could be used for food packaging application. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Trends in Active Food Packaging)
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17 pages, 2186 KiB  
Article
Preservative Effects of Gelatin Active Coating Containing Eugenol and Higher CO2 Concentration Modified Atmosphere Packaging on Chinese Sea bass (Lateolabrax maculatus) during Superchilling (−0.9 °C) Storage
by Qianqian Zhou, Peiyun Li, Shiyuan Fang, Jun Mei and Jing Xie
Molecules 2020, 25(4), 871; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules25040871 - 17 Feb 2020
Cited by 22 | Viewed by 3135
Abstract
The purpose of this research was to explore the fresh keeping effect of modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) with different gas ratios combined with gelatin active coatings containing eugenol on Chinese sea bass stored at −0.9 °C for 36 days. The results showed that [...] Read more.
The purpose of this research was to explore the fresh keeping effect of modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) with different gas ratios combined with gelatin active coatings containing eugenol on Chinese sea bass stored at −0.9 °C for 36 days. The results showed that MAP3 (60% CO2/10% O2/30% N2), together with gelatin active coatings containing eugenol, could prevent water loss, which maintained high field NMR, MRI, and organoleptic evaluation results. This hurdle technology could also effectively delay the bacterial reproduction, protein degradation, and alkaline accumulation, so it showed the lowest K value, total volatile basic nitrogen, free amino acids, total viable count, Pseudomonas spp., and H2S-producing bacteria, which better maintain the quality of sea bass. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Trends in Active Food Packaging)
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