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Sustainable Marine Macroalgal Polysaccharide Films and Coatings: Toward Active and Intelligent Food Packaging System
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This review (2020–2025) examines marine macroalgal polysaccharides—alginate, agar, carrageenan, and others—as sustainable film-forming materials for active and intelligent food packaging, highlighting their antimicrobial, antioxidant, and biodegradable properties as alternatives to plastic packaging.
Marine macroalgal polysaccharides have emerged as sustainable biopolymers with immense potential for developing active and intelligent food packaging systems. Derived from abundant and renewable seaweed biomass, polysaccharides such as alginate, agar, carrageenan, laminarin, ulvan and fucoidan exhibit excellent film-forming ability, biodegradability, and non-toxicity. Their intrinsic antioxidant and antimicrobial properties make them ideal for packaging materials that not only protect food but also enhance shelf life and quality. This review (2020-2025) comprehensively examines the extraction techniques, structural diversity and functionalities of marine polysaccharide, highlighting their suitability for edible films, coatings, and biodegradable bioplastics. Recent advancements in polymer blending, nanocomposite formation, and cross-linking strategies are discussed, which significantly improve mechanical strength, thermal stability, and barrier properties. Additionally, the integration of natural bioactive compounds enables real-time monitoring of food freshness, transforming conventional packaging into active and intelligent systems. Although challenges such as moisture sensitivity, moderate mechanical strength, and production scalability remain, marine macroalgal polysaccharides represent a promising and sustainable alternative to conventional plastics. By supporting circular economy principles and sustainable packaging initiatives, these biopolymers present innovative solutions to mitigate plastic pollution, reduce food waste, and promote environmental responsibility. This review highlights their potential to catalyze a paradigm shift in the food packaging sector, advancing high-performance, safe, and eco-friendly applications.
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Seaweed Polysaccharide in Food Contact Materials (Active Packaging, Intelligent Packaging, Edible Films, and Coatings)
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This review examines how seaweed-based polysaccharides are being developed as alternatives to conventional plastics for food packaging applications, including active packaging, intelligent packaging, and edible coatings. Researchers found that these natural materials can extend food shelf life by providing antimicrobial and antioxidant properties while being biodegradable. The study highlights seaweed polysaccharides as a promising sustainable alternative to petroleum-based plastic packaging in the food industry.
Emerging Trends in Algae‐Derived Biopolymers‐Based Films and Coatings for Future Food Packaging Applications: A Review
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This review summarizes existing research on packaging films and coatings made from algae substances like alginate and carrageenan, which could replace plastic food packaging that creates microplastic pollution. It reports that these materials show good strength and barrier properties, but still face challenges including sensitivity to moisture and difficulty scaling up production.
Exploring recent advances in carrageenan-based films for sustainable food packaging applications
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Researchers reviewed advances in carrageenan-based films derived from seaweed as sustainable alternatives to conventional plastic food packaging, highlighting improvements in mechanical, barrier, and antimicrobial properties that make these polysaccharide materials increasingly viable for commercial use.
Eco-Friendly Biopolymers Shaping Sustainable Food Packaging
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This review examines seaweed-derived biopolymers—particularly alginates and carrageenans—as materials for sustainable food packaging, covering their properties, processing methods, and performance as barriers to moisture and gases. It evaluates their potential to replace petroleum-based plastics and their degradation profiles under real-world conditions.
An Overview of the Alternative Use of Seaweeds to Produce Safe and Sustainable Bio-Packaging
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This review explores how compounds derived from seaweed, particularly polysaccharides like alginates and carrageenans, can be used to create biodegradable packaging as an alternative to conventional plastics. Researchers found that seaweed-based biopolymers offer both functional packaging properties and potential health benefits, while avoiding the microplastic pollution caused by petroleum-based plastics. The approach represents a promising step toward reducing ocean plastic contamination by replacing single-use plastics with marine-sourced biodegradable materials.
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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.