Biopolymer-Based Food Packaging: Design, Functionality, and Industrial Applications

The rising demand for sustainable options to petroleum-based plastics has made biopolymer food packaging an exciting area for innovation. This special issue seeks to highlight recent developments in the design, creation, testing, and large-scale application of biopolymer packaging materials that support global sustainability goals and circular economy principles.

We welcome contributions that connect basic research and industrial uses. These should cover material design, performance, safety, and environmental impact. This issue will provide a space for collaboration among food scientists, material engineers, environmental researchers, regulatory bodies, and industry stakeholders.

By showcasing important breakthroughs, safety assessments, and sustainability evaluations, this collection will offer valuable insights into the opportunities and challenges for the broader use of biopolymer-based packaging in the food industry.

This Research Topic on “Biopolymer-based Food Packaging: Design, Functionality, and Industrial Applications” aims to showcase recent progress in developing, characterizing, and commercializing sustainable packaging materials from renewable biopolymers. With rising environmental concerns about traditional plastics, this issue focuses on new methods that combine biodegradability, mechanical strength, and active features like antimicrobial, antioxidant, and intelligent sensing properties. It seeks to connect laboratory research with large-scale industrial use, highlighting life-cycle assessment, regulatory viewpoints, and consumer acceptance.

Contributions discussing new fabrication techniques, nano- and bio-composite systems, and the latest trends in smart packaging technologies are especially welcome. By gathering insights from materials science, food technology, and industrial engineering, this special issue seeks to encourage collaboration and provide a clear understanding of how biopolymer-based packaging can improve food quality, prolong shelf life, and support global sustainability goals.

Original research and review articles are invited considering the following key areas but not limited to:

• Novel biopolymers and composites for food packaging

• Smart and active packaging systems with antimicrobial, antioxidant, and scavenging functions

• Biopolymer processing and nanotechnology-enabled improvements

• Mechanical, barrier, and thermal performance of packaging materials

• Migration studies, safety testing, and regulatory aspects

• Industrial scalability, economic feasibility, and commercialization pathways

• Life cycle assessment (LCA), biodegradability, and end-of-life options

• Consumer acceptance, market potential, and adoption challenges

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Community Case Study
• Conceptual Analysis
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Community Case Study
• Conceptual Analysis
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Policy and Practice Reviews
• Policy Brief
• Review
• Systematic Review
• Technology and Code

Keywords: Biopolymer, Food Packaging, Safety and Quality, Shelf life, Biodegradable, Eco-friendly

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.