Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

A Review on Replacing Food Packaging Plastics with Nature-Inspired Bio-Based Materials

Researchers reviewed bio-based materials inspired by nature as sustainable alternatives to petroleum-based food packaging plastics. The study highlights that while conventional plastic packaging is effective for food preservation, its environmental impact has driven research into biodegradable and compostable alternatives that could reduce plastic waste and microplastic generation.

2025 Foods 9 citations
Article Tier 2

Bio-based and Sustainable Food Packaging Technology: Relevance, Challenges and Prospects

A review assessed bio-based and sustainable food packaging technologies, evaluating their relevance as replacements for conventional plastic packaging that generates microplastic pollution. The study identifies the most promising materials and the barriers to scaling up plastic-free food packaging.

2025 Journal of Biomaterials 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Bio-Based Materials for Packaging

This review evaluates bio-based materials as sustainable alternatives for plastic packaging, examining the environmental performance, mechanical properties, and commercial viability of biopolymers in addressing the global plastic pollution crisis.

2022 International Journal of Molecular Sciences 30 citations
Article Tier 2

Food packaging Bio-based plastics: Properties, Renewable Biomass resources, Synthesis, and Applications

This review covers bio-based plastics made from renewable biomass sources as alternatives to petroleum-based packaging, aiming to reduce plastic pollution and extend food shelf life. While bio-based plastics can reduce environmental impact at end of life, their behavior after disposal and whether they generate microplastics still requires careful evaluation.

2023 Proceedings of the Voronezh State University of Engineering Technologies
Article Tier 2

Petroleum-Based Plastics Versus Bio-Based Plastics: A Review

This review compares petroleum-based plastics with bio-based alternatives, examining the environmental drawbacks of conventional plastics that persist in the environment for long periods. Researchers discuss how bioplastics offer a more sustainable option, as they can be derived from renewable sources and are often biodegradable. The study emphasizes the need to shift toward bioplastics to reduce the accumulating environmental burden of plastic waste.

2023 Nature Environment and Pollution Technology 64 citations
Article Tier 2

Benefits and Drawbacks of Bioplastic as an Alternative of Conventional Plastic towards Sustainable Plastic T

This review examines bioplastics derived from renewable biomass sources (such as corn starch, vegetable oils, and food waste) as sustainable alternatives to conventional petroleum-based plastics, evaluating their benefits and drawbacks across environmental performance, biodegradability, and scalability. The article explores whether bioplastics represent a viable pathway toward more sustainable plastic use given growing concerns over the non-biodegradable nature and resource intensity of conventional plastics.

2024 INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF AGRIWORLD
Article Tier 2

Environmental Impact of Food Packaging Materials: A Review of Contemporary Development from Conventional Plastics to Polylactic Acid Based Materials

This review examined the environmental impacts of conventional food packaging plastics and assessed biopolymer alternatives such as PLA, discussing production from renewable feedstocks, material performance properties, and the potential for bioplastics to reduce fossil plastic waste in the packaging sector.

2020 Materials 627 citations
Article Tier 2

Sustainable and Bio-Based Food Packaging: A Review on Past and Current Design Innovations

This review covers innovations in food packaging materials, including bio-based and biodegradable options, smart sensors that detect spoilage, and active packaging that extends shelf life. Understanding packaging alternatives is relevant to microplastic concerns because conventional plastic packaging is a major source of micro- and nanoplastic contamination in food.

2023 Foods 318 citations
Article Tier 2

Sustainable biodegradable coatings for food packaging: challenges and opportunities

This review looks at biodegradable coatings made from both bio-based and petroleum-based materials as alternatives to traditional plastic food packaging. These sustainable coatings aim to reduce plastic waste while still protecting food, though challenges remain in matching the performance of conventional plastic packaging.

2024 Green Chemistry 200 citations
Article Tier 2

The Green Era of Food Packaging: General Considerations and New Trends

This review covered the shift toward sustainable food packaging materials including biopolymers and biodegradable blends as alternatives to conventional petroleum-based plastics. The authors highlighted active packaging innovations where bio-based materials incorporate antimicrobial or antioxidant properties while meeting food safety and shelf-life requirements.

2022 Polymers 65 citations
Article Tier 2

Biodegradable Packaging : a Key to Environmental Sustainability

This paper reviews biodegradable packaging alternatives to conventional plastics, arguing that plant-based materials can reduce microplastic pollution in oceans, soil, and food systems. The authors survey available materials and manufacturing methods as part of a broader case for environmental sustainability.

2024 International Association of Biologicals and Computational Digest
Article Tier 2

Towards a Circular Economy of Plastics: An Evaluation of the Systematic Transition to a New Generation of Bioplastics

This review evaluates the transition from petroleum-based plastics to bioplastics within a circular economy framework, assessing the sustainability, production challenges, and environmental trade-offs of current bioplastic alternatives.

2022 Polymers 87 citations
Article Tier 2

Bio-based plastics – a sustainable solution to plastic pollution

This review outlines the production, properties, and sustainability potential of bio-based plastics derived from renewable or recycled raw materials, arguing they can form part of a circular economy with lower carbon footprints than conventional petroleum-based plastics.

2025 Microbiology Australia 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Market and Safety Analysis of Alternatives to Plastic Food Packaging

This policy study assessed the health and economic implications of switching from plastic food packaging to alternatives, noting that many substitutes are less studied and potentially carry their own health risks. It calls for rigorous safety testing of bio-based and other alternative packaging materials before widespread adoption.

2020 FSA research and evidence.
Article Tier 2

Comparative Analysis of the Environmental Impact of Biopolymer-Based and Conventional Plastic Packaging in Food Engineering Applications

This review compares plant-based biodegradable packaging materials with traditional plastics like PET and HDPE used in food packaging. While bioplastics produce fewer carbon emissions and break down more easily, they still face cost and performance challenges. The study matters because conventional plastic packaging is a major source of microplastic pollution in the environment.

2025 Al-Mustaqbal Journal of Sustainability in Engineering Sciences 16 citations
Review Tier 2

Current trends in biopolymers for food packaging: a review

This review covers the latest developments in biopolymer-based food packaging, including biodegradable films, edible coatings, and active or smart packaging systems. Researchers found that while these sustainable alternatives show promise, they still face challenges in matching the moisture, heat, and barrier properties of conventional petroleum-based plastics. The study highlights ongoing efforts to improve these materials so they can realistically replace traditional plastic packaging.

2023 Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems 130 citations
Article Tier 2

A Comprehensive Review of Biodegradable Polymer-Based Films and Coatings and Their Food Packaging Applications

This review covers the development of biodegradable polymer-based films and coatings as alternatives to conventional plastic food packaging. While these bio-based materials reduce long-term environmental pollution, the review notes that they can still break down into microplastic particles under certain conditions. The shift to biodegradable packaging may reduce but not eliminate the food packaging contribution to microplastic pollution and human exposure.

2022 Materials 221 citations
Article Tier 2

Is There Hope to Switch Traditional Plastics into Sustainable?

This review paper examines whether traditional petroleum-based plastics can realistically be replaced by more sustainable alternatives, surveying developments in bioplastics, biodegradable polymers, recycling technologies, and regulatory shifts. It concludes that while promising innovations exist — from renewable-source plastics to circular economy strategies — significant technical and economic hurdles remain before sustainable plastics can fully displace conventional ones. The paper is relevant to microplastic pollution as a systemic solution-oriented overview of how to reduce plastic waste at its source.

2025 Science Insights 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Evolution of biobased and nanotechnology packaging – a review

This review traces the evolution of bio-based and nanotechnology food packaging, covering material advances, barrier properties, and end-of-life considerations. It discusses how conventional synthetic packaging contributes to marine microplastic pollution and how biodegradable bio-based alternatives could reduce this impact.

2020 Nordic Pulp & Paper Research Journal 46 citations
Article Tier 2

Biopolymer-based solutions for enhanced safety and quality assurance: A review

Researchers review how biopolymers are replacing petroleum-based plastics across the food industry, covering antimicrobial packaging, edible coatings, bioactive encapsulation, and smart polymer functions such as pH sensing and time-temperature monitoring that reduce food waste and microplastic pollution.

2024 Food Research International 28 citations
Article Tier 2

Problems of environmental pollution with microplastic waste and ways to solve them

This review examines the widespread presence of microplastics in the environment and their impacts on ecosystems and human health. Researchers highlight the limitations of conventional plastic food packaging and propose sustainable alternatives including bioplastics, edible packaging, and traditional materials like palm leaves. The study provides practical guidelines for transitioning away from conventional plastics to reduce microplastic contamination.

2024 BIO Web of Conferences 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Evolution of Food Packaging and Its Effect on Human Food

This review traces the evolution of food packaging materials from ancient times to the present, covering the transition from natural materials to modern plastics and the associated concerns about chemical migration and microplastic generation. It discusses biodegradable and active packaging alternatives as part of sustainable food system innovation.

2025
Systematic Review Tier 1

Comparative Analysis of Bio-Based and Traditional Plastics: Life Cycle Assessment, Cost-Benefit Analysis, and Health Impact Evaluation

This systematic review compares bio-based plastics with traditional petroleum-based plastics across environmental impact, cost, and health effects. The findings suggest that while bio-based alternatives may reduce some environmental harms, they are not without trade-offs, and understanding these differences is important for making healthier choices about the products we use.

2025 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Advancements in the biopolymer films for food packaging applications: a short review

This review covers advances in biodegradable biopolymer films being developed to replace conventional plastic food packaging, which breaks down into microplastics that contaminate soil and water. While these plant-based alternatives show promise for reducing microplastic pollution, they still need improvements in strength and durability before they can compete with conventional plastics at commercial scale.

2024 Biotechnology for Sustainable Materials 43 citations