Additive manufacturing technology offers the ability to produce personalized products with lower development costs, shorter lead times, less energy consumed during manufacturing and less material waste. It can be used to manufacture complex parts and enables manufacturers to reduce their inventory, make products on-demand, create smaller and localized manufacturing environments, and even reduce supply chains. Additive manufacturing (AM), also known as fabricating three-dimensional (3D) and four-dimensional (4D) components, refers to processes that allow for the direct fabrication of physical products from computer-aided design (CAD) models through the repetitious deposition of material layers. Compared with traditional manufacturing processes, AM allows the production of customized parts from bio- and synthetic polymers without the need for molds or machining typical for conventional formative and subtractive fabrication.In this Special Issue, we aimed to capture the cutting-edge state-of-the-art research pertaining to advancing the additive manufacturing of polymeric materials. The topic themes include advanced polymeric material development, processing parameter optimization, characterization techniques, structure–property relationships, process modelling, etc., specifically for AM.

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This Reprint explores the possibilities of blending nanoparticles and polymers? You are encouraged to dive into the polymer composites world and analyze the intricacies of nanomaterials and their influence on polymers. This Reprint uncovers the synergy between nanomaterials and polymers and their application in the field of engineering. The peer-reviewed articles in this Reprint present insights into the analysis of new advancements in nanocomposites, synthesizing techniques, interfacial interactions, and mechanical and thermal characterization.

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This book includes recent research activities in the field of food quality assurance and shelf-life extension. The goal is to broaden our current knowledge of advanced approaches to guaranteeing the maintenance of the properties of packaged products during storage. Preservation strategies based on vacuum packaging, innovative active packaging, emerging technologies, and horticultural by-products are widely discussed in specific chapters. Taken together, these research studies constitute clear evidence that achieving food shelf-life extension is still a complex and multifaceted process. The book reflects advances made in the field and, with the addition of a chapter also covering the secondary shelf-life topic, it will provide the latest research for academics working in the field of novel processing, antimicrobial/antioxidant substances, by-product recycling and active packaging. The research collected in this book is ideal for those working in the food quality industry.

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The bioeconomy initially focused on resource substitution, including the production of biomass from various resources; its conversion, fractionation, and processing by means of biotechnology; and chemistry and process engineering towards the production and marketing of food, feed, fuel, and fibre. Nevertheless, although resource substitution is still considered important, the emphasis has been recently shifted to the biotechnological innovation perspective of the bioeconomy, in terms that ensure environmental sustainability. It is estimated that around one-third of the food produced for human consumption is wasted throughout the world, posing not only a sustainability problem related to food security but also a significant environmental problem. Food waste streams, mainly derived from fruits and vegetables, cereals, oilseeds, meat, dairy, and fish processing, have unavoidably attracted the interest of the scientific community as an abundant reservoir of complex carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, and functional compounds, which can be utilized as raw materials for added-value product formulations. This Special Issue focuses on innovative and emerging food and by-products processing methods for the sustainable transition to a bioeconomy era.

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In recent years, we have assisted the remarkable growth in the use of functional polyesters. This book gathers novel research works dealing with the manufacturing and characterization of polyesters that have been functionalized by synthesis, copolymerization, additives (at micro- and nanoscale), surface modification, among other methodologies, to tailor desired properties in terms of mechanical, chemical, thermal, and barrier properties, biodegradation, and biocompatibility. Thus, Advances in Manufacturing and Characterization of Functional Polyesters will serve to guide a diverse audience of polymer scientists and engineers and provides an update of the “state-of-the-art” knowledge on functional polyesters.

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This reprint represents a collection of scientific papers belonging to a Special Issue of Antioxidants entitled "Advances in the Astonishing World of Phytochemicals: State-of-the-Art for Antioxidants". Several studies have revealed that plants are a source of a plethora of bioactive compounds, such as phytohormones, glycosides, terpenoids, alkaloids, phenolic compounds, and essential oils, with a strong potential impact in the fields of pharmaceutics and agriculture. These phytochemicals represent a valuable weapon that plants use in self-defense in order to counteract the effects of abiotic stress disturbing the delicate equilibrium between the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and antioxidant defense systems. In recent years, interest in this area of research has been increasing due to the multifaceted properties of natural compounds with antioxidants having anticancer, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial activity. Therefore, understanding the underlying mechanism of their action is crucial to establishing their real potential in applied sciences. This reprint focuses on the most recent advances in the study of antioxidant molecular mechanisms activated by phytochemicals, with potential pharmacological and agricultural applications. We thank all the authors for their contribution to the research topic of this reprint and all editorial staff for their valuable support.

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Creating antibacterial surfaces is the primary approach in preventing the occurrence and diffusion of clinical infections and foodborne diseases as well as in contrasting the propagation of pandemics in everyday life. Proper surface engineering can inhibit microorganism spread and biofilm formation, can contrast antimicrobial resistance (AMR), and can avoid cross-contamination from a contaminated surface to another and eventually to humans. For these reasons, antibacterial surfaces play a key role in many applications, ranging from biomedicine to food and beverage materials, textiles, and objects with frequent human contact. The incorporation of antimicrobial agents within a surface or their addition onto a surface are very effective strategies to achieve this aim and to properly modify many other surface properties at the same time. In this framework, this Special Issue collects research studying several materials and methods related to the antibacterial properties of surfaces for different applications and discussions about the environmental and human-safety aspects.

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Antimicrobial packaging has recently attracted a great deal of interest from the food industry due to the boost in consumer demand for minimally-processed, preservative-free products. Antimicrobial polymeric packaging systems can be considered an emerging technology that could have an important impact on shelf life extension and food safety. Novel polymeric-based packaging materials are continually being developed. This book collects carefully chosen examples of the most recent and relevant advances in the preparation and characterization of antimicrobial composites for food packaging applications. Different polymer nanocomposites with improved packaging properties are discussed along with their mechanisms of action. Further, future perspectives for antimicrobial polymeric nanomaterials are provided.

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Over the few coming decades, bio-based and biodegradable plastics produced from sustainable bioresources should essentially substitute the prevalent synthetic plastics produced from exhaustible hydrocarbon fossils. To the greatest extend, this innovative trend has to apply to the packaging manufacturing area and especially to food packaging implementation. To supply the rapid production increment of biodegradable plastics, there must be provided the effective development of scientific-technical potential that promotes the comprehensive exploration of their structural, functional, and dynamic characteristics. In this regard, the transition from passive barrier materials preventing water and oxygen transport as well as bacteria infiltration to active functional packaging that ensures gas diffusion selectivity, antiseptics' and other modifiers' release should be based on the thorough study of biopolymer crystallinity, morphology, diffusivity, controlled biodegradability and life cycle assessment. This Special Issue accumulates the papers of international teams that devoted to scientific and industrial bases providing the biodegradable material development in the barrier and active packaging as well as in agricultural applications. We hope that book will bring great interest to the experts in the area of sustainable biopolymers.

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These days, massive consumer demands for short-term single-use plastic materials have produced huge plastic waste, which in turn has created tremendous environmental pollution. Biodegradable polymers or biopolymers can be used to develop alternatives to synthetic petroleum-based plastics. Different sources of biopolymers, like carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids, as well as biodegradable polymers such as polyesters, polyamides, polyurethanes, etc., have been utilized recently to make environmentally benign biodegradable plastic.

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The papers collected in this Special Issue entitled “Electrospun Nanomaterials: Applications in Food, Environmental Remediation, and Bioengineering” illustrate the high diversity and potential for implementation of electrospun nanofibers in these fields, including the covering of a wide number of subtopics. Examples of these applications have included bioactive scaffolds, wound healing dressings, compound protective nanoreservoirs and sustained and controlled release systems. An important driver of these applications results from advances in materials science and new nanofiber manufacturing processes. Definitely, such pieces of fundamental research will contribute to the promotion of electrospinning as a focal point in the future development of technological applications at the interface of biological systems, which promise long-term benefits for both health and the environment.

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Continuous research advances have been observed in the field of environmentally-friendly polymers and polymer composites due to the dependence of polymers on fossil fuels and the sustainability issues related to plastic wastes. This book compiles the most recent research works in biopolymers, their blends and composites, and the use of natural additives, such as vegetable oils and other renewable and waste-derived liquids, with their marked environmental efficiency devoted to developing novel sustainable materials. Therefore, Environmentally Friendly Polymers and Polymer Composites provides an overview to scientists of the potential of these environmentally friendly materials and helps engineers to apply these new materials for industrial purposes.

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This Special Issue includes original research and reviews of the literature focusing on food labels, which are a tool to promote public health that, at the same time, may represent a marketing tool and may influence consumers’ perception of food quality.

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Because of the increasing pressure on both food safety and packaging/food waste, the topic is important both for academics, applied research, industry and also for environment protection. Different materials, such as glass, metals, paper and paperboards, and non-degradable and degradable polymers, with versatile properties, are attractive for potential uses in food packaging. Food packaging is the largest area of application within the food sector. Only the nanotechnology-enabled products in the food sector account for ~50% of the market value, with and the annual growth rate is 11.65%. Technological developments are also of great interest. In the food sector, nanotechnology is involved in packaging materials with extremely high gas barriers, antimicrobial properties, and also in nanoencapsulants for the delivery of nutrients, flavors, or aromas, antimicrobial, and antioxidant compounds. Applications of materials, including nanomaterials in packaging and food safety, are in forms of: edible films, polymer nanocomposites, as high barrier packaging materials, nanocoatings, surface biocides, silver nanoparticles as potent antimicrobial agents, nutrition and neutraceuticals, active/bioactive packaging, intelligent packaging, nanosensors and nanomaterial-based assays for the detection of food relevant analytes (gasses, small organic molecules and food-borne pathogens) and bioplastics.

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Food processing, preservation, and packaging is a highly interdisciplinary science. Various techniques and technologies have been developed to extend food shelf life, minimize the risk of contamination, protect the environment, and improve foods’ functional, sensory, and nutritional properties. Some of the many benefits of food processing, preservation, and packaging include increased food safety, improved nutrition, longer shelf life, and increased economic opportunities. In addition, food processing and preservation help to reduce post-harvest losses. Developing novel food processing, preservation, and packaging technologies is critical to preserving food quality, improving sensory characteristics, and reducing losses. At present, there is a great emphasis on developing novel biobased and intelligent packaging technologies that are safe for food and reduce environmental pollution. This book provides a comprehensive overview of food processing and preservation packaging to tackle the challenges of food safety, nutritional security, and sustainability. Chapters address such topics as edible packaging materials, intelligent packaging materials, nanotechnology for enhancing the shelf life of food products, advanced food packaging systems, green materials for food packaging, antimicrobial packaging materials, food drying technologies, methods of food processing, food analysis using acoustic and thermal methods, food formulations, and functional foods. This volume is a useful resource for students, researchers, and food processing preservation professionals. It highlights advances in food processing and packaging systems to increase food quality and preserve food longer without generating waste.

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The purpose of this Special Issue was to attract papers in the new era of sustainability and food packaging that address all major sectors of the food industry from cereals and confectionery to fruits and vegetables, meat, and dairy products.

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This book covers a broad range of subjects, from smart nanoparticles and polymer nanocomposite synthesis and the study of their fundamental properties to the fabrication and characterization of devices and emerging technologies with smart nanoparticles and polymer integration.

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Natural polymers are already used for a variety of biomedical applications, including drug delivery, wound healing, tissue engineering, biosensors, etc. However, they have also found other applications, for example, in the food industry, the pharmaceutical industry, as firefighting materials, water purification, etc. Different polysaccharide and protein-based systems have been developed. They each have their properties that render them useful for certain applications such as the water solubility of alginate, the thermo-sensitivity of chitosan, the abundance of cellulose and starch, or the cell adhesion and proliferation of gelatin and collagen. This Special Issue will explore the design, synthesis, processing, characterization, and applications of new functional natural-based polymers.

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The world is changing rapidly in the age beyond Coronavirus. The current period of deprivation and anxiety, together with the coming global economic crisis, will usher in new consumer attitudes and behaviors that will change the nature of today’s capitalism. There are signs today of a growing anti-consuming movement with five types of anti-consumerists: life simplifiers, degrowth activists, climate activists, food choosers, and conservation activists. Citizens will reexamine what they eat, how much they eat, and how all this is influenced by class issues and inequality. Consequently, the food supply chain network will have to change dramatically, adjusting to the new attitudes, perceptions and preferences of the consumers of a post-COVID-19 era. Innovation will play a vital role in modernizing the food supply chain to meet the new challenges of the upcoming global economy. The process “from farm to fork” as the holistic approach to the production and consumption of food will become a key factor for the sustainability and the progress of the food industry. This Special Issue is focused on 11 selected topics from different parts of the agrifood supply chain in view of the post-COVID-19 era expanding from innovative scientific insights and technological advances of natural resources, organic pollutants identification, new food product development, traceability, and packaging, chain management, to consumer’s attitudes, and eating motivations, aiming to tackle the foreseen changes of global economy.

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Food packaging and shelf life have been the subject of remarkable research in recent years. They are so important because only by understanding a good storage system is it possible to avoid any food waste. Moreover, the best packaging has to prolong the food quality while also reducing the packaging volume or better, become itself biodegradable, and guarantee the nutritional characteristics of food products.In particular, the increasing interest in reducing packaging wastes is becoming a rising problem, just considering that food packaging alone contributes to a huge portion of total packaging wastes in the world. On the other side, consumers judge the food quality based on appearance and freshness, but also using their awareness of the environmental implications of packaging. Nowadays, many technologies can be applied to improve food quality and shelf life, such the application of edible films or coatings, from biodegradable materials or biopolymers, trying to reduce the package barrier requirements, incorporating natural bioactive compounds and lengthening shelf life making then packaging easily compostable.

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In the last decade, issues related to pollution from microplastics in all environmental compartments and the associated health and environmental risks have been the focus of intense social, media, and political attention worldwide. The assessment, quantification, and study of the degradation processes of plastic debris in the ecosystem and its interaction with biota have been and are still the focus of intense multidisciplinary research. Plastic particles in the range from 1 to 5 mm and those in the sub-micrometer range are commonly denoted as microplastics and nanoplastics, respectively. Microplastics (MPs) are being recognized as nearly ubiquitous pollutants in water bodies, but their actual concentration, distribution, and effects on natural waters, sediments, and biota are still largely unknown. Contamination by microplastics of agricultural soil and other environmental areas is also becoming a matter of concern. Sampling, separation, detection, characterization and evaluating the degradation pathways of micro- and nano-plastic pollutants dispersed in the environment is a challenging and critical goal to understand their distribution, fate, and the related hazards for ecosystems. Given the interest in this topic, this Special Issue, entitled “Microplastics Degradation and Characterization”, is concerned with the latest developments in the study of microplastics.

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To which extent is the notational iconicity of text (layout, emphasis, etc.) grammatically significant? This volume provides an answer by taking an expanded cognitive-grammatical approach to examine a corpus of food packaging photos, using a combination of collection analysis and grammatical samples. The analysis reveals the relevance of design for the status of brand names, product names, and how they are combined with non-verbal predicates.

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This reprint features the latest reviews and cutting-edge research articles on bio-based and natural polymers. It clearly demonstrates the increased interest in this field and will inspire researchers to further develop this field and thus contribute to more sustainable future societies.

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This book collects the articles published in the Special Issue “Polymeric Materials: Surfaces, Interfaces and Bioapplications”. It shows the advances in polymeric materials, which have tremendous applications in agricultural films, food packaging, dental restoration, antimicrobial systems, and tissue engineering. These polymeric materials are presented as films, coatings, particles, fibers, hydrogels, or networks. The potential to modify and modulate their surfaces or their content by different techniques, such as click chemistry, ozonation, breath figures, wrinkle formation, or electrospray, are also explained, taking into account the relationship between the structure and properties in the final application. Moreover, new trends in the development of such materials are presented, using more environmental friendly and safe methods, which, at the same time, have a high impact on our society.

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The aim of this reprint devoted to the topic “Polymers and the Environment” was to pursue environmentally friendly objectives for polymer-based materials under a two-fold perspective, applied and academic. In the 1980s, the first global environmental crisis occurred with an emphasis on the role of plastics in big cities’ massive solid waste streams. It was apparent then (and now) that the best environmental management practices required solid scientific and technical knowledge. Moreover, once at the end of their useful life, these plastics become involved in their materials (polymers and additives) into a circular economy strategy conjugated with the non-steady scenarios of the other key sectors of the economy, industry, society, and policy. Thus, linking tandem polymers and the environment has led, 40 years later, to a wide polymer research field devoted to continuously improving the environmental performance of polymer and polymer-based materials. This strategy comprises all the steps in the polymer management chain, from the raw materials to the polymers, many of which come from classical and renewable sources (the so-called bioplastics). Additionally, there is a need to improve the processability, ultimate properties, and performance by employing friendly environment additives; the recyclability of the materials; and the development of innovative and disruptive processes allowing better mechanical and energy recovery, including chemical recycling. This reprint includes approaches related to this frontrunner polymer science and technology area.

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Nano/micro-size particles are widely applied in various fields. Among the various particles, silver particles are considered among the most prominent nanomaterials in the biomedical and industrial sectors because of their favorable physical, chemical, and biological characteristics. Thus, numerous studies have been conducted to evaluate their properties and utilize them in various applications, such as diagnostics, anti-bacterial and anti-cancer therapeutics, and optoelectronics. The properties of silver particles are strongly influenced by their size, morphological shape, and surface characteristics, which can be modified by diverse synthetic methods, reducing agents, and stabilizers. This Special Issue provides a range of original contributions detailing the synthesis, modification, properties, and applications of silver materials. Nine outstanding papers describing examples of the most recent advances in silver nano/microparticles are included. Silver nano/micro-size particles have many potential advantages as next-generation materials in various areas, including nanomedicine. This Special Issue might be helpful to understand the value of silver particles in the biomedical and industrial fields

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