The book's 14 chapters promote a comprehensive review on such subjects as materials used, their structure-function relationship, and new processing technologies for application and production of edible coatings and films. Specific topics include edible film and packaging using gum polysaccharides, protein-based films and coatings, and edible coatings and films from lipids, waxes, and resins. The book also reviews stability and application concerns, mass transfer measurement and modeling for designing protective edible films, and edible packaging as a vehicle for functional compounds.

The authors explore antimicrobial edible packaging, nanotechnology in edible packaging, and nanostructured multilayers for food packaging by electrohydrodynamic processing. Additionally, they show how to evaluate the needs for edible packaging of respiring products and provide an overview of edible packaging for fruits, vegetables, and dairy products. Lastly, they examine edible coatings and films for meat, poultry, and fish.