Chitosan is the only pseudo-natural cationic polymer and, owing to its
biocompatibility, biodegradability, non-toxicity, and antimicrobial activity, combined
with its cationic character, is considered as the greatest potential polymer for obtaining
food packaging, especially in the form of edible films and coatings. The successful
manufacture of edible films and coatings for food applications is based on specific
functional properties that the biopolymer should meet for each type of food, due to the
different properties of the various components (nanoparticles, lipids, plasticizers,
proteins, etc.). The addition of these compounds can be beneficial in the films
production, with superior functional properties and thus extend their applications. In
this chapter, we highlight the application of chitosan-based materials as edible films
and coatings for food protection. The manufacture, and mechanical properties and the
water vapor permeability (WVP) of the films and coatings are also discussed.
Keywords: Mechanical properties, Packaging materials, Polysaccharide, Water
vapor permeability.
