{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,11,10]],"date-time":"2026-11-10T02:08:40Z","timestamp":1794276520116,"version":"4.9.0"},"reference-count":60,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"3","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,5]],"date-time":"2026-02-05T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1770249600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Foods"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Functional coatings for food packaging offer innovative approaches to extend shelf life, preserve quality and introduce active properties such as antimicrobial or antioxidant effects. These coatings include natural bio-based films (e.g., polysaccharide or protein-based) and synthetic polymers enhanced with additives or nanomaterials. Despite their advantages (e.g., improved barrier properties, spoilage inhibition, or intelligent sensing) they also pose safety concerns. Migration of chemical constituents and additives into food can lead to toxicological risks, such as cytotoxicity or endocrine disruption. Non-intentionally added substances (NIASs) and nano-sized components further complicate safety assessments. This review outlines the main types of functional coatings, their active mechanisms, and associated safety issues. Particular focus is placed on migration phenomena, chemical interactions and health risks from common migrants including plasticizers, monomers, nanoparticles and essential oils. The EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2025\/40), adopted in December 2024 and published in the Official Journal in January 2025, introduces comprehensive sustainability and substance-restriction requirements, including strict criteria for food packaging materials that will apply from 12 August 2026. Emerging challenges include the assessment of bio-based and recycled coatings and the toxicology of nanomaterials. Balancing functionality with safety remains crucial for next-generation, sustainable and health-compliant food packaging.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/foods15030571","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,5]],"date-time":"2026-02-05T11:13:01Z","timestamp":1770289981000},"page":"571","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":20,"title":["Balancing Functionality and Safety in Food Packaging Coatings"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"15","author":[{"given":"Athina","family":"Ntzimani","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Laboratory of Chemistry, Analysis & Design of Food Processes, Department of Food Science and Technology, University of West Attica, Egaleo Park Campus, 28 Ag. Spyridonos Str., 122 43 Egaleo, Greece"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6348-8846","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Theofania","family":"Tsironi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Laboratory of Food Process Engineering, Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Agricultural University of Athens, 75 Iera Odos Str., 118 55 Athens, Greece"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,5]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","unstructured":"Jaiswal, S., Bahmid, N.A., and Jaiswal, A.K. (2026). Introduction to Food Packaging: Historical Overview, Sustainability, and Current Trends. 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