Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Bio-based materials for barrier coatings on paper packaging

Researchers reviewed bio-based polymer coatings for paper packaging, evaluating how naturally renewable biopolymers can replace petroleum-derived synthetic coatings to provide effective oxygen, oil, and moisture barriers while reducing environmental impact.

2022 Biomass Conversion and Biorefinery 140 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
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

High Barrier Sustainable Paper Coating Based on Engineered Polysaccharides and Natural Rubber

Researchers developed a paper-based food packaging coating using engineered polysaccharides and natural rubber that provides barrier performance approaching that of plastic films while being biodegradable and avoiding microplastic formation. The coating maintained oxygen and moisture barrier properties under stress conditions relevant to food shelf life.

2022 ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering 45 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

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

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

Biodegradable biopolymers for active packaging: demand, development and directions

This review examines how biodegradable biopolymers can be used for active food packaging, addressing both plastic waste and food waste challenges while meeting industry demand for sustainable packaging solutions.

2022 Sustainable Food Technology 172 citations
Systematic Review Tier 1

A Review on Biopolymer-Based Biodegradable Film for Food Packaging: Trends over the Last Decade and Future Research

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.

2023 Polymers 138 citations
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

Multilayer Sheets Based on Double Coatings of Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) on Paper Substrate for Sustainable Food Packaging Applications

Researchers developed biodegradable multilayer food packaging by double-coating paper substrates with poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) using a thermo-sealing technique, finding that the PHBV coatings improved mechanical resistance, moisture barrier properties, and ductility compared to uncoated paper while offering a sustainable alternative to petrochemical polymer coatings.

2022 Applied Sciences 17 citations
Article Tier 2

Edible and Functionalized Films/Coatings—Performances and Perspectives

This review covers recent advances in edible and biodegradable food films and coatings made from biological materials, examining their performance properties and potential as sustainable replacements for conventional petroleum-based food packaging.

2020 Coatings 116 citations
Article Tier 2

High-Performance Synthetic Waxes for a Sustainable Packaging Ecosystem

This study evaluated high-performance synthetic waxes as coating materials for sustainable packaging, examining their barrier properties, biodegradability, and performance relative to conventional plastic-based coatings.

2024 ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering 7 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

Chitosan–Graft–Poly(dimethylsiloxane)/Zein Coatings for the Fabrication of Environmentally Friendly Oil- and Water-Resistant Paper

Researchers developed a sustainable paper coating using chitosan-graft-poly(dimethylsiloxane) and zein biopolymers that provides oil and water resistance, offering a biodegradable alternative to conventional synthetic polymer coatings that contribute to microplastic pollution. The approach demonstrates a practical strategy for reducing plastic waste in paper packaging applications.

2020 ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering 89 citations
Article Tier 2

Development and Characterization of Thermoformed Bilayer Trays of Paper and Renewable Succinic Acid Derived Biopolyester Blends and Their Application to Preserve Fresh Pasta

This paper is not about microplastics; it describes the development of sustainable bilayer food-packaging trays made from paper and bio-based biopolyester blends as alternatives to conventional plastic packaging.

2023 Materials 14 citations
Article Tier 2

Nanocellulose Coating on Kraft Paper

This paper is not directly about microplastics — it evaluates nanofibrillated cellulose coatings on kraft paper as a biodegradable alternative to plastic-based food packaging coatings, finding improvements in barrier properties, density, and mechanical strength.

2023 Coatings 14 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

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

Extrusion Coating of Paper with Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV)—Packaging Related Functional Properties

A biopolymer called PHBV was applied as a coating on paper to create a biodegradable food packaging material, and the coated paper performed well for moisture and oxygen barrier properties. This is relevant to reducing plastic packaging waste, which is a major source of environmental microplastic pollution.

2019 Coatings 36 citations
Article Tier 2

Degradable Polymeric Waxes for Paper Coating Applications

Scientists created degradable wax-like polymers that can coat paper packaging to make it water- and oil-resistant, offering an alternative to traditional plastic coatings. Unlike conventional plastic-coated paper, these coated papers can be broken down and recycled through standard paper repulping. This kind of innovation could help reduce the microplastic pollution that comes from plastic-coated packaging materials breaking down in the environment.

2024 ACS Applied Polymer Materials 22 citations
Article Tier 2

Wax Coatings for Paper Packaging Applications: Study of the Coating Effect on Surface, Mechanical, and Barrier Properties

Researchers evaluated environmentally friendly wax coatings, including beeswax, soywax, and biowax, for paper food packaging applications. The study found that beeswax-coated paper showed the best performance, improving water vapor barrier properties by approximately 77% and increasing tensile strength, offering a sustainable alternative to plastic-based food packaging materials.

2024 ACS Environmental Au 18 citations
Article Tier 2

Bio-Based Dual-Layer UV-Cured Oil- and Water-Resistant Paper Coating for Food Packaging Applications

Despite its title referencing bio-based paper coatings for food packaging, this paper studies how chitosan and plant-oil-derived coatings can replace fluorine-based chemicals on paper food packaging to resist water and oil — not microplastic pollution. It examines barrier performance and mechanical strength and is not relevant to microplastics or human health.

2026 International Journal of Molecular Sciences
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