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Biopolymers as green‐based food packaging materials: A focus on modified and unmodified starch‐based films
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This study characterized the ingestion and excretion dynamics of polystyrene microplastics in marine copepods, finding that particles passed through the digestive system rapidly but caused measurable feeding inhibition during exposure. The temporary reduction in phytoplankton consumption during microplastic presence has implications for copepod energy budgets and ocean carbon cycling.
The ideal food packaging materials are recyclable, biodegradable, and compostable. Starch from plant sources, such as tubers, legumes, cereals, and agro-industrial plant residues, is considered one of the most suitable biopolymers for producing biodegradable films due to its natural abundance and low cost. The chemical modification of starch makes it possible to produce films with better technological properties by changing the functional groups into starch. Using biopolymers extracted from agro-industrial waste can add value to a raw material that would otherwise be discarded. The recent COVID-19 pandemic has driven a rise in demand for single-use plastics, intensifying pressure on this already out-of-control issue. This review provides an overview of biopolymers, with a particular focus on starch, to develop sustainable materials for food packaging. This study summarizes the methods and provides a potential approach to starch modification for improving the mechanical and barrier properties of starch-based films. This review also updates some trends pointed out by the food packaging sector in the last years, considering the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Perspectives to achieve more sustainable food packaging toward a more circular economy are drawn.
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Starch‐Based Polymer Composites for Sustainable Food Packaging: Advances in Bioplastic Development
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This review examined production mechanisms, structural modifications, and industrial applications of starch-based bioplastics for food packaging, discussing the role of plasticizers and physical and chemical treatments that enhance hydrophobicity, mechanical strength, and thermal stability. While starch-based bioplastics offer biodegradability and renewable origins supporting a circular economy, the review concluded that trade-offs with food production feedstocks and higher manufacturing costs compared to conventional plastics mean they are not a complete long-term solution to plastic pollution.
From Fields to Films: Exploring Starch from Agriculture Raw Materials for Biopolymers in Sustainable Food Packaging
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This review explored how starch extracted from agricultural crops can be used to create biodegradable packaging films as alternatives to conventional plastics. The study surveys different starch sources and processing methods, highlighting the potential for plant-based biopolymers to reduce the food-packaging industry's heavy reliance on fossil fuel-derived plastics.
Advances in polysaccharide-based food packaging: Functionalization strategies and sustainability considerations
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This review evaluates recent advances in polysaccharide-based food packaging functionalization, including chemical modifications, bioactive agent blending, and nanomaterial incorporation to improve mechanical, barrier, and antimicrobial properties. Life cycle assessment comparisons show polysaccharide-based packaging offers environmental advantages over petroleum-derived plastics, but scaling up production and achieving cost-effectiveness remain significant challenges.
A Review on Biopolymer-Based Biodegradable Film for Food Packaging: Trends over the Last Decade and Future Research
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This systematic review explores biodegradable packaging made from natural materials like starch and proteins as alternatives to conventional plastics. Reducing plastic packaging is important because traditional plastics break down into microplastics that contaminate food and the environment.
Agricultural Waste-Derived Biopolymers for Sustainable Food Packaging: Challenges and Future Prospects
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This review examines how agricultural residues such as rice husks, corn cobs, and fruit peels can be converted into biodegradable polymers as sustainable alternatives to conventional plastic food packaging. Key biopolymers discussed include cellulose, starch, proteins, PHA, and PLA, with findings highlighting promising properties alongside ongoing challenges in cost, mechanical performance, and food safety compliance.
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