Papers

20 results
|
Article Tier 2

Agro-Food Waste Valorization for Sustainable Bio-Based Packaging

This review examines how waste from food processing can be repurposed into biodegradable packaging materials as an alternative to conventional plastics. Researchers have developed films and coatings from fruit peels, grain husks, and other agricultural byproducts, though most solutions remain at the laboratory stage. Replacing traditional plastic packaging with these bio-based alternatives could help reduce the generation of microplastics that contaminate food and water supplies.

2024 Journal of Composites Science 52 citations
Article Tier 2

An overview: exploring the potential of fruit and vegetable waste and by-products in food biodegradable packaging

Researchers reviewed how fruit and vegetable processing waste — rich in polyphenols, vitamins, and fiber — can be transformed into biodegradable food packaging films and coatings, offering an eco-friendly alternative to conventional plastic packaging. Repurposing food waste this way could simultaneously reduce plastic pollution (including microplastics from packaging degradation) and address agricultural waste disposal challenges.

2024 Discover Food 15 citations
Article Tier 2

Innovative Packaging Solutions from Agri-food Wastes and By-products

This review examined biodegradable bio-packaging materials derived from agri-food wastes as alternatives to petrochemical plastics, covering their preparation, properties, and use in food industries. While bio-packaging reduces microplastic accumulation and carbon footprint, the authors noted ongoing challenges in mechanical performance and cost.

2025
Article Tier 2

Investigating the characteristics of carboxymethyl cellulose film as a possible material for green packaging

Researchers developed biodegradable carboxymethyl cellulose films from agricultural waste as a potential sustainable alternative to conventional plastic food packaging. Replacing single-use plastics with biodegradable packaging is directly relevant to reducing the source of microplastic pollution, as conventional packaging is a major contributor to plastic fragmentation in the environment.

2023 GSC Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Development and Characterization of Starch Based Bioplatics Using Banana Peels

This study developed bioplastic films from banana peel starch as a biodegradable alternative to conventional petroleum-based packaging plastics. Food waste-based bioplastics offer a sustainable approach to reducing the accumulation of persistent microplastics in the environment.

2023 American Journal of Polymer Science and Technology
Article Tier 2

Desarrollo de biopelículas degradables a partir de harina de fruta de pan (Artocarpus altilis), como alternativa al uso de plásticos sintéticos convencionales

Biodegradable biofilms were developed from breadfruit flour (Artocarpus altilis) as a sustainable alternative to conventional synthetic plastic packaging. The biofilms were characterized for physical, mechanical, and barrier properties, offering a compostable food packaging material that reduces microplastic waste.

2024 Tierra Infinita
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
Clinical Trial Tier 1

Development of Biodegradable Films from Carrot, Guava, and Banana Peel Fibers for Environmental Packaging Applications

Despite its classification in this database, this study develops biodegradable packaging films from fruit and vegetable fibers rather than investigating microplastic pollution directly. Films made from 60% guava fiber with 1.8% alginate showed the best mechanical properties and highest soil degradation rate, offering a potential alternative to conventional plastic packaging.

2025 Journal of Environmental & Earth Sciences
Article Tier 2

Exploring Agricultural and Industrial Fruit-Based Waste/By-products for Eco-friendly Multifunctional Bio-based Food Packaging and Coating Materials

Researchers reviewed how agricultural and industrial fruit waste — including peels, seeds, and pomace — can be converted into multifunctional bio-based food packaging materials with demonstrated antimicrobial, antioxidant, and shelf-life-extending properties, while identifying scalability and regulatory alignment as key barriers to widespread adoption.

2026 Food and Bioprocess Technology
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

Valorization and Application of Fruit and Vegetable Wastes and By-Products for Food Packaging Materials

This review summarized recent research on converting fruit and vegetable processing waste into biopolymer-based food packaging materials, covering extraction of pectin, cellulose, and starch from by-products and their performance as biodegradable packaging films.

2021 Molecules 118 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
Article Tier 2

Development and Characterization of Bio-Based Composite Films for Food Packing Applications Using Boiled Rice Water and Pistacia vera Shells

Not a microplastics paper — this study develops and tests biodegradable food packaging films made from boiled rice water and pistachio shell powder as a sustainable alternative to conventional plastic packaging.

2023 Polymers 12 citations
Article Tier 2

The Optimization of Avocado-Seed-Starch-Based Degradable Plastic Synthesis with a Polylactic Acid (PLA) Blend Using Response Surface Methodology (RSM)

Researchers optimized the synthesis of biodegradable plastic from avocado seed starch, evaluating formulation variables to maximize mechanical strength, flexibility, and degradation rate for potential packaging applications.

2024 Polymers 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Plásticos biodegradables, una alternativa a los empaques alimentarios actuales

This Spanish-language review examines biodegradable polymers as alternatives to conventional plastic food packaging, covering materials like starch, cellulose, gelatin, chitosan, polylactic acid (PLA), and polyvinyl alcohol. It describes the mechanical and functional properties of packaging films made from each material and discusses their suitability for different food applications. The paper is directly relevant to reducing plastic packaging waste and the downstream microplastic pollution it generates.

2026
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

Biodegradable and edible film: A counter to plastic pollution

This paper reviews biodegradable and edible films as alternatives to conventional plastic packaging in the food industry, which contributes a major share of global plastic waste. While not a complete solution, these alternative materials could meaningfully reduce plastic pollution if adopted more widely in food packaging applications.

2020 International Journal of Chemical Studies 18 citations
Article Tier 2

Starch/Pectin as Emerging Renewable Materials for Fabrication of Sustainable Bioplastics for Food Packaging Applications

Not relevant to microplastics — this paper describes the development of biodegradable food packaging films made from plant-based starch, pectin, and chitosan, focused on replacing conventional plastics rather than studying their pollution.

2023 Research Square (Research Square)
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

Use Of Organic Fruit Residues To Obtain Bioplastics

Researchers investigated the use of organic fruit waste as a raw material for producing bioplastics, exploring a range of fruit types and processing methods to develop petroleum-free alternatives to conventional single-use plastics. The review aligns bioplastic production from agricultural residues with circular economy principles and growing demand for environmentally friendly packaging solutions.

2024 MIGRATION LETTERS 1 citations