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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.
Seaweeds have emerged as valuable resources in biotechnological applications, driven by their rich diversity of bioactive compounds. While their consumption dates back to ancient civilizations, recent advances in research have shed light on the mechanisms and vast potential of these compounds, facilitating their incorporation into food, cosmetic, pharmaceutical, and nutraceutical industries. Notably, macroalgae-derived polysaccharides, such as alginates and carrageenans, offer remarkable health benefits and are instrumental in developing biopolymeric films and biodegradable packaging materials. This innovation is particularly significant in addressing the growing environmental crisis caused by the widespread dispersion of plastics and microplastics in marine ecosystems, which adversely affect aquatic life and biodiversity. Seaweed-derived biopolymers represent a sustainable alternative to conventional plastics, enabling the replacement of harmful plasticizers with eco-friendly, biodegradable materials. Such advancements contribute to environmental preservation and support the global transition toward sustainable practices. This review explores the potential of seaweeds in bioplastic production, particularly for food and pharmaceutical packaging, and underscores their role in mitigating plastic pollution. By integrating seaweed biopolymers into various industries, we can achieve a balance between technological progress and environmental stewardship, paving the way for a cleaner and more sustainable future.
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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.
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.
Eco-Friendly Bioplastic Material Development Via Sustainable Seaweed Biocomposite
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Researchers developed a seaweed-based bioplastic film using Gracilaria edulis algae combined with starch, glycerol, and chitosan. The resulting material showed mechanical properties comparable to starch-based commercial plastics, good biodegradability, and compostability, and showed potential for use in low-moisture food packaging. This work contributes to the effort to replace petroleum-based plastics with renewable alternatives that break down in the environment rather than persisting as microplastic pollution.
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.
The Development of Marine Polymers in Food Packaging Applications
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Researchers reviewed the development of marine-derived polymers — including algal, crustacean, and microbial biopolymers — as sustainable food packaging alternatives, evaluating their potential to replace conventional petroleum-based plastics that fragment into persistent ocean microplastics.
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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.