This book provides an overview of the current state of research into the use of biopolymers as potential substitutes in food packaging applications. It describes the advantages and disadvantages of biopolymer-based food packaging materials, as well as the way they preserve and/or package food products. To address sustainability, lower carbon footprint and the use of renewable resources, this book outlines the growing interest in edible films and coatings as an alternative to conventional polymers used in food packaging.

Focusing on food preservation and shelf life, environmental safety, and human health, it seeks to be an auxiliary resource for academic researchers, professionals in the food packaging industry and other relevant areas, research scholars, postgraduate students, entrepreneurs, and postgraduate students. With the hopes that the subjects covered in the book would inspire new concepts and procedures in the future, this book is written to assist both beginners and experts in the field of food packaging materials.

Vicente de Oliveira Sousa Neto Graduated in Chemistry from the Federal University of Ceará. He is a full professor at the State University of Ceará (UECE), faculty of Education, Sciences, and Letters (FECLESC). He earned his Ph.D. in Civil Engineering, specializing in Environmental Sanitation, from the Federal University of Ceará (2012). His research focuses on Environmental Chemistry, with emphasis on bioadsorption for wastewater treatment using modified low-cost bioadsorbents. He applies Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations to investigate adsorption mechanisms and molecular interactions. Beyond his research, Prof. Sousa Neto has contributed significantly to scientific literature through the publication and organization of books and the authorship of chapters in international volumes. His editorial and authorial work highlights his expertise in non-structured materials and their applications in environmental remediation, water purification, and sustainable nanotechnology.

Paulo de Tarso Cavalcante Freire is currently a full professor at Federal University of Ceará (UFC). He completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the Federal University of São Carlos in 2012. He served as the head of the Department of Physics (2000–2003), director of the Center for Sciences (2003–2007), and coordinator of the Graduate Program in Physics (2007–2011; 2020–2021) at UFC. His main research topic is the application of Raman spectroscopy to the study of materials submitted to extreme conditions of pressure and temperature. In recent years, he has developed collaborative work with researchers from Denmark, France, Poland, Colombia, and China, in addition to maintaining partnerships with professionals from several Brazilian universities. In 2019, he published the book “Primeiros Passos na Mecânica Quântica” (First Steps in Quantum Mechanics) by Corsário Publishing.

Prof. Gilberto Dantas Saraiva is a full professor at State University of Ceará (UECE), in the Faculty of Education, Sciences, and Letters (FECLESC).  He earned his Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Ph.D. in Physics from the Federal University of Ceará (UFC), with his doctoral research focusing on Raman spectroscopy in functionalized carbon nanotubes. He further expanded his expertise through a postdoctoral fellowship at Pennsylvania State University. Currently, his research is centered on the application of Raman spectroscopy to study nanomaterials, molybdates (tungstates), and fatty acids, with a particular emphasis on phase transitions under high pressures and temperatures.

Prof. Antônio Joel Ramiro de Castro is a full professor at the Federal University of Ceará (UFC), Campus Quixadá, where he has been a faculty member since 2015. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Physics from the State University of Ceará (UECE, 2009), and both a Master’s (2013) and a Ph.D. (2018) in Physics from the Federal University of Ceará (UFC). His research primarily focuses on Condensed Matter Physics and Materials Science, with significant contributions to the hydrothermal carbonization of biomass to produce porous carbon and magnetic composites. He also investigates the structural and vibrational properties of inorganic materials, such as molybdates and tungstates, under extreme conditions of pressure and temperature. In addition to his materials science work, he actively applies advanced statistical methods like Principal Component Analysis (PCA) for data classification and develops educational technologies, including the creation of innovative didactic materials.

Ronaldo Ferreira do Nascimento Graduated in Industrial Chemistry from the Federal University of Maranhão (UFMA, 1991), Ph.D. in Analytical Chemistry at the University of São Paulo (USP, 1997), Institute of Chemistry of São Carlos (IQSC). He is currently a full professor at the Federal University of Ceará (UFC). He has experience in the field of Analytical Chemistry, reflecting on the Development of Chromatographic Methods (analysis of pesticide residues in water and food); Environmental Chemistry (trace analysis); Adsorption (removal of pollutants from aqueous effluents using natural adsorbents); Advanced Oxidative Processes (water and effluent treatment).