Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Medicine - Bio(medical) materials for diet and food applications

Guest Editors:

Anuj Kumar, Ph.D.
School of Materials Science and Technology,
Indian Institute of Technology (BHU), India

Silvani Verruck, Ph.D.
Department of Food Science and Technology,
Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil

Submission Status: Open
Submission Deadline: 31 December 2024

The continuous increase in the population worldwide anticipates a steadier supply of foods, wherein their demand depends on the regions, cultures, and the choices of the people and communities. As the demand for sustainable and innovative solutions to traditional processing materials grows, investigating biocompatible options derived from biological sources becomes essential for the food industry. Edible films and coatings, responsive materials, and nanotechnology applications offer promising avenues for extending food shelf life, enhancing safety, and improving overall quality. The examination of biodegradable polymers addresses the critical issue of environmental impact, aligning with global efforts to reduce plastic waste. The integration of medical-grade materials and biomaterials not only opens new frontiers in food technology but also holds potential for dual applications. Thus, the increased demand for protein-based and meat products worldwide has positioned the food supply chain to search for more sustainable options.  Therefore, a more efficient and safer alternative source to conventional animal meat is greatly desired to satisfy the global demand for meat protein without a considerable decline in consumption or direct obtaining from slaughtered animals. In this way, the cultured meat has provided a favorable transformative technology through tissue engineering and an extended interest from the industry and community perceptions for food safety and human nutrition, livestock-associated environmental problems and animal-welfare, and other related aspects. Overall, various natural and synthetic biomedical materials are widely utilized to manufacturing edible scaffolds for foods applications. This topical collection seeks to explore the innovative intersection of biomedical materials and their applications in the food science and technology field. Researchers, scientists, engineers, and industry professionals are invited to contribute their original research or reviews to this topical collection, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and advancing the field toward sustainable and innovative solutions for the future of food applications.

Submission Instructions:
This topical collection invites the submission of original and high-quality research, short communications, and review articles in the field of biomaterials with the focus on food applications. This Topic Collection includes, but is not limited to the following topics:

Biomedical materials
Polysaccharides
Proteins
Nanomaterials
Polymers
Soft materials
Food packaging
Functional foods
Cultured meat
Scaffold design
Tissue engineering

Keywords: Active packaging, Cultured meat, Biomaterials, Tissue engineering, scaffold design, gene therapy, muscle cells, growth factors, manufacturing, 3D printing.