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Mass-Rearing of Insects on Food Waste to Produce Chitosan—A Bio-Based Plastic Alternative
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This review paper discusses raising insects on food waste to produce chitin, which can be converted into chitosan, a biodegradable material that could serve as an alternative to conventional plastics. It summarizes chitosan's properties, the global chitosan market and related challenges, without reporting new experiments.
Mass-rearing of insects is being promoted to meet demands for sustainable sources of livestock and pet feed, protein, oils, pharmaceutical precursors and more. Here, we describe an industrial symbiosis, in which insect mass-rearing is based on food waste, and chitin extracted from insect exoskeleton is converted into chitosan and used to generate alternatives to conventional plastic materials—hereafter referred to as “chitosan bio-based plastics”. If so, challenges associated with synthetic plastic production, plastic pollution, greenhouse gas emissions associated with landfill waste and food waste management may be mitigated simultaneously. Such industrial symbioses align with at least 10 of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Chitosan is a biodegradable, non-toxic polymer with potential use in a range of disposable plastic applications. We describe characteristics of chitosan, the global chitosan market, how chitosan can be modified into different types of bio-based plastics, and we highlight challenges and constraints.
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Chitosan with Natural Additives as a Potential Food Packaging
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Researchers reviewed the potential of chitosan, a natural polymer derived from chitin, as a sustainable alternative to conventional plastic food packaging. Chitosan-based materials combined with natural additives show promising antimicrobial and biocompatible properties while being biodegradable. The study suggests these materials could help reduce plastic packaging waste and the associated microplastic pollution from food industry sources.
Fungal chitosan in focus: a comprehensive review on extraction methods and applications
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Researchers reviewed fungal-derived chitosan as a biodegradable plastic alternative for food packaging, highlighting advantages over marine-sourced chitosan — including lower mineral content, year-round supply, and reduced microplastic contamination risk — alongside advances in extraction techniques such as deep eutectic solvents and enzymatic processing.
Chitosan as a sustainable alternative for fresh food packaging: Structural insights, modification strategies, and innovations for commercial viability
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Researchers reviewed how chitosan — a natural biopolymer derived from crustacean shells — can serve as a biodegradable alternative to single-use plastic food packaging, detailing chemical modification strategies, nanocomposite reinforcement approaches, and recent advances in antimicrobial and antioxidant performance that improve its commercial viability.
Biodegradability Studies of Chitosan-Based Packaging
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Scientists tested a plastic alternative made from chitosan (a natural material derived from shellfish shells) and found it breaks down effectively in compost, soil, and water, unlike conventional plastics that can linger for centuries and shed microplastics. This matters because switching to packaging like this could help reduce the plastic pollution that's increasingly found in our food, water, and even our bodies. More research is still needed to fine-tune the material before it's ready for widespread use.
Sourcing chitin from exoskeleton of Tenebrio molitor fed with polystyrene or plastic kitchen wrap
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Researchers sourced chitin from the exoskeletons of mealworm larvae fed diets containing polystyrene or plastic kitchen wrap mixed with bran. The study found that while plastic-fed larvae produced heavier exoskeletons, no plastic residues were detected in the chitin, suggesting that mealworms can effectively degrade plastic waste while still yielding usable chitin.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.