Polymeric Coatings for Food Applications

Dear Colleagues,

Using polymeric films and coatings is a relatively new approach in food packaging to increase the shelf-life of food products. Coating materials by forming a layer around the food product reduces the rate of moisture loss, respiration rate, textural deterioration, and the loss of volatile compounds. Moreover, by reducing the moisture content on the surface of foods, polymeric coatings help to reduce the microbial growth on the surface. Because they have a neutral color and flavor, polysaccharide-, protein-, and lipid-based edible coatings are the most commonly used biopolymers for generating edible films and coatings. Polysaccharide-based coating materials such as polysaccharide hydrocolloids, starch, cellulose, and their derivates are shown to have desirable mechanical properties and barrier properties against oils, as well as selective permeability against oxygen transmission. Protein-based coating materials such as gelatin, casein, soy protein, and zein are reported to have stronger mechanical and barrier properties compared to polysaccharide-based coatings. However, the effect of humidity on their functional properties is limiting their applications. Lipid-based coatings such as natural waxes, vegetable oils, fatty acids, or petroleum-based waxes are developed specifically to reduce the moisture loss due to their hydrophobicity. These biopolymers beside their protective effect can be also used to deliver different functional agents such as peptides, nanoparticles, essential oils, nutrients, and living organisms such as probiotics onto the surface of food product.

The scope of this Special Issue includes different aspects of the synthesis, modification, and physicochemical properties of polymeric coating materials for food applications. Original research and review articles related to the polymeric coatings for food products are highly welcome in this Special Issue.

Dr. Diako Khodaei
Dr. Armin Mirzapour-Kouhdasht
Dr. Reza Tahergorabi
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. Polymers 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.

• edible coatings
• polysaccharides
• proteins
• lipids
• shelf-life
• food packaging
• food coating
• biodegradability
• polymers
• hydrocolloids