With the growing concern for the environment and the rising price of crude oil, there is increasing demand for non-petroleum-based polymers from renewable resources. Biopolymer films have been regarded as potential replacements for synthetic films in food packaging due to a strong marketing trend toward environmentally friendly materials. Biopolymer-based films and coatings display good barrier properties, flexibility, transparency, economic profitability, and environmental compatibility. Therefore, they have successfully been used for packaging various food products. Biopolymer-Based Films and Coatings: Trends and Challenges elaborates on the recent methods and ingredients for making biodegradable films and coatings, as well as the current requirements for food security and environmental issues. This book also explores films and coatings prepared with essential oils, antimicrobial substances, and bioactive components that make up this active packaging. Films and coating chapters are based on biopolymers used to prepare films and coatings, that is, carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and so on. This book provides a platform for researchers and industrialists on the basic and advanced concepts of films and coatings. Key Features Provides a comprehensive analysis of recent findings on biopolymers (carbohydrate-, protein-, and lipid-) based films and coatings Contains a wealth of new information on the properties, functionality, and applications of films and coatings Presents possible active and functional components and ingredients for developing films and coatings. Guides start-up researchers on where to start the latest research work in packaging It has been estimated that the global production of bioplastics is set to hike from ~2.11 in 2020 to ~2.87 million tonnes in 2025. Further, the demand for fresh, ready-to-eat, or semi-finished foods is increasing, and the need to maintain food safety and quality further exacerbates the challenges in the supply chain, especially with the globalization of food trade and the use of centralized processing facilities for food distribution. It is an urgent requirement to increase shelf life and reduce food product loss. Considering the great market demand for biodegradable material-based packaging systems, this book comes at an opportune time to enable researchers and food scientists to develop suitable solutions considering the sustainability and economic feasibility of the process.

Biopolymer-Based Food Packaging Explore the latest developments and advancements in biopolymer-based food packaging In Biopolymer-Based Food Packaging: Innovations and Technology Applications, a team of accomplished researchers delivers a complete, systematic, and sequential account of the contemporary developments in the application of biopolymers for sustainable food packaging. This book introduces the fabrication, characterization as well as benefits arising from the enhanced functionalities of biopolymer-based food packaging materials. The authors introduce various polysaccharide, protein, and microbial polymer-based food packaging films and coatings, as well as biopolymer-based blends and nanocomposites. Importance of these materials as active and intelligent food packaging systems is also introduced. Finally, the book explores biopolymer-based edible food packaging, and its efficacy in extending the shelf-life of perishable food items using sustainable materials and processes suitable for the future of circular economies around the world. Readers will also find: A thorough introduction to the incorporation of nanomaterials as fillers to improve the physico-chemical, mechanical, thermal, barrier, optical, and antimicrobial properties of food packaging nanocomposites Comprehensive discussions of the use of plant-based bioactive compounds, including essential oils, in biopolymer-based food packaging Practical examinations of silver and zinc oxide nanoparticles in food packaging In-depth treatments of polylactic acid-based composites for food packaging applications Biopolymer-Based Food Packaging: Innovations and Technology Applications is an invaluable resource for academic researchers and professionals in food packaging and related industries, as well as research scholars, graduate students, and entrepreneurs working and studying in the field of food preservation, environmental safety, and human health with a focus on the sustainable future.

The search for better strategies to preserve foods with minimal changes during processing has been of great interest in recent decades. Traditionally, edible films and coatings have been used as a partial barrier to moisture, oxygen, and carbon dioxide through selective permeability to gases, as well as improving mechanical handling properties. The advances in this area have been breathtaking, and in fact their implementation in the industry is already a reality. Even so, there are still new developments in various fields and from various perspectives worth reporting. Edible Films and Coatings: Fundamentals and Applications discusses the newest generation of edible films and coatings that are being especially designed to allow the incorporation and/or controlled release of specific additives by means of nanoencapsulation, layer-by-layer assembly, and other promising technologies. Covering the latest novelties in research conducted in the field of edible packaging, it considers state-of-the-art innovations in coatings and films; novel applications, particularly in the design of gourmet foods; new advances in the incorporation of bioactive compounds; and potential applications in agronomy, an as yet little explored area, which could provide considerable advances in the preservation and quality of foods in the field.

This book compiles recent studies about edible coatings and how they have improved food products, packaging techniques, and product quality to cause fewer health risks. Food Coatings and Preservation Technologies presents the most recent studies about the application of edible coatings to a wide variety of foods. Edible coatings are globally utilized for preventing food product contamination from harmful microorganisms and pathogens. This book highlights the developments made in designing new edible coatings. Herein, particular attention is given to the main components, manufacturing methods, and their application to specific products. The book also discusses the current state-of-the-art alternative to conventional package usage, providing the main features biodegradable packaging should meet for distinct uses for the conservation and improvement of various food products. This information will be helpful for processors to select the best coating material and its effective concentration for different fresh and minimal processed vegetables. Each chapter delves into edible-based coating research and critical developments to enhance food preservation standards. The first section focuses on biopolymer-based edible coatings, food packaging, and preservation. It provides a comprehensive understanding of the current state and critical developments in biodegradable polymer packaging systems for food applications. As technology advances, the next section highlights ongoing research focusing on optimizing coating effectiveness and the development of eco-friendly and sustainable materials. This section’s objective is to identify edible materials and combine the most recent information available to provide a comprehensive understanding of formulation methods and approaches to enhancing the properties of the coatings applied to food products. The final section discusses encapsulation techniques and levels of retention to improve shelf-life. Readers will find in this book information concerning: The efficiency and functional properties of edible coating materials; Feasibility studies performed on new process evaluation, safety and toxicity determination, regulatory assessment, and consumer studies regarding the commercial uses of edible coatings; Coating technologies that present a promising avenue to enhance the delivery, stability, and efficacy of medical foods and nutraceuticals; Shelf-life testing that suggests future directions; Novel practical and reliable tools that are applicable in the industrial process. Audience The book is aimed at chemists, food technologists, food scientists, nutritionists, dietitians, pharmaceutical technologists, biochemists, and engineers, as well as postgraduate, PhD students and postdocs working in the area of edible food coatings and prevention technologies.

This book discusses the various aspects of sustainable packaging edibles in food industry. It is divided into five main parts. The first section of the book addresses details of edible films, various sources, origin, scope and functions. Second section covers different sustainable alternatives such as seed gums, fruits and vegetable peels, sea weeds, fruits wastes, dairy by products & anti-oxidant edible packaging. This book also discusses about methods of improvements of mechanical properties of packaging edibles & their food applications, testing methods, innovations, limitations, challenges and nano edibles. It provides insights about the large quantity of wastes and by-products generated by food processing industries. Disposal of these wastes is a big problem due to their high biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) & chemical oxygen demand (COD) which causes severe problem of pollution to the environment. These wastes contain large amounts of proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, minerals, various bioactive compounds and have eco-friendly packaging potential. The book emphasizes on the fact that recycling these wastes as packaging edibles are sustainable and economical. As a world foreseeing food technology revolution, this book explores the unique topics in food packaging which possesses mammoth commercial applications and environmental potential. Due to its immense scope, this book is highly useful for researchers, food scientists, students and food packaging industry experts.

This new volume provides a comprehensive overview of the new and diverse technologies in food packaging of fruits and vegetables, providing an emphasis on new commercially available packaging technologies for fresh produce. The book first looks at important biopolymeric films for fresh produce packaging along with a historical overview, followed by coverage of the mechanical, physical, and permeability properties and recent developments in investigative techniques of biopolymers as well as their applications in modified atmosphere packaging used in fresh produce packaging. The volume then discusses the detailed application of natural/organic active agents, including oxygen scavengers, ethylene scavengers, antioxidants, antimicrobial agents, etc., for the fabrication of active packaging for maintaining the quality of fresh produce during storage and transportation. Chapters cover active (antimicrobial, antioxidant) edible films and coatings used to preserve the quality of fresh produce. Protective packaging, package designing aspects, and safety and security packaging for agricultural produce in the supply chain are also explored. Also considered are intelligent packaging technologies that monitor the condition of packaged food using data carriers, indicators, and sensors. Novel Packaging Systems for Fruits and Vegetables provides a thorough presentation of the most important and innovative technologies for the packaging and safety of fruits and vegetables. This volume will be valuable for advanced students as well as for faculty, researchers, and industry professionals in food science and engineering, packaging technology, and postharvest technology.

AGRO-WASTE DERIVED BIOPOLYMERS AND BIOCOMPOSITES This comprehensive book describes the fundamental principles and major advancements in the utilization of agro-waste for deriving biopolymers, and their applications to fabricate composite, nanocomposite, and hybrid food packaging films and coatings. The book serves as a complete, systematic, comprehensive account of the contemporary developments in the area of novel and environment-friendly valorization of agro- and food wastes into value-added products like biodegradable polymer and active functional agents for food packaging applications. It also describes the hurdles and challenges in the commercialization of these novel biopolymer-based materials, including their composites, their applications, safety, and legal ramifications. This book consists of fifteen chapters covering different aspects of agro- and food waste utilization, the development of biodegradable polymers, and their composites for sustainable food packaging applications. The first thirteen chapters detail the processing of various agro- and food wastes of plant and animal origin to synthesize different biopolymers, such as starch, cellulose, chitosan, silk proteins, pectin, etc., and their applications for the fabrication of sustainable food packaging materials and composites that are attractive alternatives to synthetic plastic packaging. These chapters also summarize the effectiveness of these biopolymers and their composites in developing active films and edible coatings for shelf-life extension and preservation of perishable foods. A chapter is devoted to issues of biodegradability, including analyses of various biodegradation reactions, such as depolymerization, mineralization, biochemical, and abiotic degradation both in soil and aquatic environments. The book concludes with a chapter addressing the concerns associated with the possible migration of components or additives from these biodegradable packaging into packaged food items. Audience The primary audience for this book is researchers, scientists, and engineers working in food science and technology, food engineering and technology, food biotechnology, sustainable food packaging, etc. Additionally, food entrepreneurs and associated businesses, such as the packaging and coatings industries, will also have a keen interest in the book.

"Biodegradable Composites for Packaging Applications" describes design, processing, and manufacturing of advanced biodegradable composites in packaging industry applications. It covers fundamentals of biodegradable polymers followed by introduction to biodegradable materials for food packaging industry and its processing mechanisms. Pertinent applications are explained across different chapters including intelligent packaging, applied technologies, degradation problems and its impact on environment and associated challenges. Features Covers biodegradable composites and targeted applications in packaging for industrial applications. Includes exhaustive processing and characterizations of biodegradable composites. Discusses innovative commodities packaging applications. Reviews advanced integrated design and fabrication problems for conductive and sensors applications. Explores various properties and functionalities through extensive theoretical and experimental modeling. This volume is aimed at researchers and graduate students in sustainable materials, composite technology, biodegradable plastics, and food technology and engineering.

Marine Biopolymers: Processing, Functionality and Applications focuses on recent developments in the isolation, characterization, and processability of these materials for biomedical, nutraceutical, cosmetic, and regenerative medicine applications.The marine environment represents a huge single resource for the development of natural biobased materials with enhanced, well-characterized and multi-functional properties. The isolation, characterization, and processability of these materials are crucial for the development of the marine biotechnological industries. In recent years, novel biobased materials have been extracted from marine habitats that have been proven to have exceptional wound-healing characteristics and anti-cancer therapeutic benefits. Moreover, some components based on marine resources can play a key role in medicinal food applications, in cosmetics as well as in the pharmaceutical sector.Marine Biopolymers: Processing, Functionality and Applications is a valuable reference resource for scientific and academic researchers, industrial R&D and those working in the marine biotechnology industries that produce microalgae and natural bioproducts. The book will also be relevant for researchers working in aquaculture, biology, bioenergy, and biofuels production, as well as food and nutrition, cosmetics, and the pharmaceutical industry. - Provides key information on the characterization and functionalization of marine biopolymers - Covers processing, properties, and applications - Contains case study examples in a broad range of industrial sectors including biomedical, environmental, food science, agricultural, and textiles

The ingestion of gluten in the human diet can lead to gastrointestinal disorders such as celiac disease, allergy to wheat and non-celiac gluten sensitivity. Currently the best treatment is the strict adherence to a diet without sources of prolamins and gliadins (wheat), secalin (rye) and hordein (barley). Several studies have revealed that a gluten-free diet may lead to nutrient deficiencies. Therefore, the formulation of gluten-free foods, particularly those related to cereals, is a major challenge. A great effort has been put into improved technological and nutritional aspects of gluten-free cereal products, as evidenced by the large amount of research published in journal articles. Thus far there has been no compilation of this up-to-date research which would lead to better implementation of healthy gluten-free products with improved technological and sensorial properties. Designing Gluten Free Bakery and Pasta Products provides a tool for designing gluten-free bakery and pasta products taking into account the most up-to-date advances and knowledge of gluten-related disorders , extensively covering both traditional and non-traditional gluten-free raw materials and bakery and pasta processes. This book will be particularly useful for food scientists and technologists developing gluten-free bakery and pasta products, plus physicians and nutritionists working with patients with gluten related diseases. This book covers new native/seasonal ingredients that improve the nutritional profile of baked goods, shelf life and starch retrogradation during storage, gluten-free edible film/toppings application, biotechnological pre-treatments of gluten-free flours and ingredients to enhance their technological/nutritional functionality, baked goods with spontaneous fermentation, sourdough from yeasts vs LAB present in gluten-free flours and effects on technological, nutritional and sensory characteristics. All these aspects were extensively discussed in this work, plus it provides a fully up-to-date studies on gluten-related health disorders and summarizes the main research advances in gluten-free product development and their market-related and industrial impact. This novel approach makes this book a unique and highly valuable resource for those on the forefront of gluten-free foods application.