Posted by Special Issue “Bioactive Packaging Materials” will be published in International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067; Impact Factor 5.924).
Bioactive packaging falls within the so call smart packaging and has the unique role to either extend shelf life, monitor freshness or improve safety of special products, including foods and pharmaceuticals. Several technologies are currently under investigation to integrate packaging with target-specific sensors, like temperature indicators, microbial contamination sensors and gas-level controls, or with bioactive compounds, like antioxidants or antimicrobials, to maximize the safety and quality of products. The application of nanotechnology to this area is expected to open new possibilities for improving the performances of these types of packages. Together with the functional aspects, also sustainability issues of the packaging are a current focus of the research in this field to produce environmentally-friendly materials able to replace traditional oil-based packaging. Biopolymers, including starch and chitosan, can be considered ideal candidates for these purposes in relation to their biodegradability.
In this Special Issue, a strong focus will be put on preparation and characterization of materials, both traditional and new, for packaging applications endowed with biological activity, including antimicrobial and antioxidant activity, or with specific sensors to monitor product quality and properties. Also review articles in the field are welcome.
Special Issue Editors
Dr. Iolanda Francolini
Department of Chemistry, University “La Sapienza”, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy
Interests: antimicrobial polymers; polyurethanes; drug delivery systems; functionalization of polymers; microbial biofilms; nanocomposites
Dr. Antonella Piozzi
Department of Chemistry, Sapienza, University of Rome, Piazzale A. Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy
Interests: antimicrobial polymers; polyurethanes; drug delivery systems; functionalization of polymers; microbial biofilms; nanocomposites
More details are available here:
https://www.mdpi.com/journal/ijms/special_issues/Packaging_Materials