Eco-Friendly Paper Packaging Coatings: Enhancing Sustainability and Food Preservation

Dear Colleagues,

The advancement of environmentally sustainable coatings to prolong the shelf-life of food products has become essential. With consumers showing a growing preference for healthier and more natural food options, there is an increasing focus among researchers in the food industry on employing eco-friendly technologies to extend the shelf-life of foods. In this regard, paper-based packaging materials have emerged as viable solutions, simultaneously aiding in the preservation of food products. Unlike traditional plastic coatings, which present considerable environmental challenges owing to their non-biodegradable nature, eco-friendly paper packaging coatings prioritize the utilization of renewable resources and aim to minimize adverse environmental impacts across their lifecycle.

This Special Issue aims to delve into the most recent advancements and uses of eco-friendly paper packaging coatings in the context of sustainability and food preservation. It seeks to showcase research that addresses key challenges and opportunities in this emerging field, with a particular emphasis on innovative coating materials, coating techniques, and their effectiveness in maintaining food quality and safety. Furthermore, the functionalization of these novel packages to serve as carriers for bioactive compounds will also be discussed.

Researchers are invited to contribute original research articles, reviews, and case studies that shed light on various aspects of eco-friendly paper packaging coatings. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Novel materials
• Coatings creation and design
• Functional packaging
• Bioactive incorporation
• Packaging properties

Prof. Dr. Cristóbal Noé Aguilar González
Dr. María Liliana Flores-López
Dr. Jorge M. Vieira
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. Foods 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 2900 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.

• eco-friendly packaging
• paper-based coatings
• food preservation
• biopolymers
• shelf-life extension