International Journal of Food Properties

Upcycling Approaches in Sustainable Food Packaging

As the global demand for environmentally responsible food packaging grows, there is increasing interest in strategies that not only reduce waste but also repurpose materials through upcycling. Upcycling approaches transform food and agricultural by-products into value-added packaging solutions, aligning sustainability with innovation and circular economy principles.

This special article collection will highlight the latest research and developments in sustainable food packaging materials and systems, emphasizing bio-based, recyclable, and circular-economy-driven innovations. The focus will be on advanced material design, functionalization strategies that enhance barrier and shelf-life properties, and the integration of smart and intelligent packaging technologies that promote transparency and efficiency across the food supply chain.

The goal of this collection is to bridge the gap between fundamental research and practical implementation, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration among food scientists, material scientists, engineers, environmental researchers, and policy experts.

Topics of interest include but are not limited to:

• Upcycling of food and agricultural residues into bio-based packaging polymers
• Development of biodegradable and compostable materials from waste streams
• Enhancement of barrier properties (moisture, oxygen, and light protection) in upcycled materials
• Green functionalization and nanotechnology approaches for stability and performance improvement
• Smart and intelligent packaging for real-time food quality monitoring and supply chain optimization
• Life cycle assessment (LCA) and techno-economic analysis of upcycled packaging solutions
• Circular economy strategies and policy frameworks supporting waste-to-packaging initiatives
• Hybrid systems combining paper, biopolymers, or natural fibers derived from by-products
• Safety, decontamination, and migration studies for upcycled packaging materials
• Scale-up, commercialization, and industrial implementation of upcycled packaging technologies

Keywords: Upcycling, Bio-based polymers, Biodegradable packaging, Smart packaging, Circular economy

Guest Advisors

Dr. Sneh Punia Bangar, PhD, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Packaging Science and Graphic Media at Rochester Institute of Technology, New York. Prior to this appointment, she worked as a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Food, Nutrition, and Packaging Sciences at Clemson University, SC, USA. Her research interests include the extraction and characterization of novel and sustainable materials, with a particular focus on starches, modified starches, nanocomposite films and coatings, and paper-based packaging systems. Here is the link to her ORCID page: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8675-6399.

Dr. Srinivas Janaswamy, PhD, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Dairy and Food Science, South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD, is an internationally recognized leader in sustainable agriculture and functional foods. His research advances biodegradable packaging, microbial fertilizers, and climate-resilient food systems. Here is the link to his ORCID page: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5422-0493.

Disclosure statement: Both Guest Advisors declare no conflict of interest.

­­All manuscripts submitted to this Article Collection will undergo desk assessment and peer review as part of our standard editorial process; the Guest Advisor for this Collection will not be handling the manuscripts (unless they are an Editorial Board member).

Please review the journal scope  and author submission instructions prior to submitting a manuscript.

The deadline for submitting manuscripts is December 31st, 2026.

Please contact Ruby Ru at [email protected]  with any queries and discount codes regarding this Article Collection.

To submit your papers to this Article Collection, please:

1. Check "yes" for the question, "Are you submitting your paper for a specific special issue or article collection?"
2. Select the relevant Article Collection from the drop-down menu under the question, "Special Issue or Article Collection Name."