Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Development of functional bacterial cellulose composites from Kombucha waste for biodegradable food packaging

Researchers produced bacterial cellulose composite films from kombucha production waste, modifying them with antimicrobial and structural agents to create biodegradable food packaging. The composites showed adequate mechanical and barrier properties, offering a sustainable alternative to petrochemical packaging that avoids microplastic generation during degradation.

2025
Article Tier 2

Ecological packaging: Creating sustainable solutions with all-natural biodegradable cellulose materials

Researchers developed a pure cellulose food packaging material by combining bacterial cellulose and ethyl cellulose — both natural, biodegradable materials — into a strong, water-resistant film that degrades naturally and avoids the microplastic pollution associated with conventional single-use plastic packaging. The material's mechanical strength, water resistance, and recyclability position it as a practical plastic replacement for food packaging.

2024 Giant 15 citations
Article Tier 2

Citric acid cross-linked regenerated bacterial cellulose as biodegradable and biocompatible film for food packaging

Researchers developed biodegradable packaging films from regenerated bacterial cellulose cross-linked with citric acid. The films showed good mechanical strength, biocompatibility, and biodegradability. Bacterial cellulose-based packaging could serve as a sustainable alternative to petroleum-based plastic films and reduce microplastic generation from food packaging.

2023 Research Square (Research Square)
Article Tier 2

In Situ Synthesis of Plasticized Bacterial Cellulose Films for Daily Packaging Using Biobased Plasticizers

Researchers synthesized plasticized bacterial cellulose films in situ and characterized their mechanical, optical, and barrier properties for daily packaging applications, finding the bio-based materials offered competitive performance with lower environmental impact than petroleum-based alternatives.

2025 ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Biotechnology in Food Packaging Using Bacterial Cellulose

This review explores bacterial cellulose as a biodegradable, biocompatible alternative to conventional plastic food packaging, which contributes to micro- and nanoplastic pollution that threatens both the environment and human health. While bacterial cellulose shows strong potential due to its mechanical strength and food preservation abilities, scaling up production remains a challenge due to higher costs and manufacturing difficulties.

2024 Foods 25 citations
Article Tier 2

In Situ Fermentation of an Ultra-Strong, Microplastic-Free, and Biodegradable Multilayer Bacterial Cellulose Film for Food Packaging

Researchers developed an ultra-strong, biodegradable multilayer bacterial cellulose film for food packaging using an in situ fermentation approach with gellan gum assistance. The study presents a microplastic-free alternative to conventional plastic packaging that incorporates antibacterial properties through quaternary ammonium chitosan microspheres.

2023 ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces 42 citations
Article Tier 2

Hydrogel bacterial cellulose: a path to improved materials for new eco-friendly textiles

Bacterial cellulose grown from kombucha cultures was processed into a stable hydrogel material that can be sewn into clothing, offering a potentially eco-friendly textile alternative that avoids microplastic fiber shedding associated with synthetic fabrics. The material was tested as wristbands and T-shirt components and showed suitable wettability, mechanical properties, and flame resistance.

2020 Cellulose 139 citations
Article Tier 2

Edible, strong, and low‐hygroscopic bacterial cellulose derived from biosynthesis and physical modification for food packaging

Researchers produced a composite of bacterial cellulose with soy protein isolate and calcium alginate, creating a bio-based material that is edible, mechanically strong, and has low moisture absorption, with potential applications as sustainable food packaging.

2023 Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture 15 citations
Article Tier 2

An Innovative Alternative to Plastic Straws with Bacterial Cellulose

This study developed biodegradable bacterial cellulose as an alternative material for drinking straws, replacing conventional plastic. Bacterial cellulose straws are fully biodegradable, offering a practical solution to reduce the single-use plastic that fragments into microplastics in the environment.

2023 Journal of Student Research
Article Tier 2

Growing Strong Polysaccharide-Derived Edible Straws with an Inherent Structural Binder via Biomanufacturing

Researchers developed edible straws made from bacterial cellulose and starch using a biomanufacturing approach, as an alternative to plastic straws that contribute to microplastic pollution. The straws demonstrated strong mechanical performance, maintaining their structure in both hot and cold beverages for extended periods. The study suggests that bio-manufactured food-contact materials could help reduce reliance on conventional plastics and the associated microplastic risks.

2025 Nano Letters 1 citations
Article Tier 2

An ethyl cellulose-coated bacterial cellulose based hydrophobic and degradable straw-like materials towards drinking straws

Researchers developed a microplastic-free drinking straw by coating bacterial cellulose with ethyl cellulose, achieving strong mechanical performance (66.82 MPa bending strength), water-repellent surfaces, and complete soil biodegradation within 20 days — outperforming conventional polylactic acid straws on both durability and environmental decomposition.

2025 Carbohydrate Polymers 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Bacterial cellulose biopolymers: The sustainable solution to water-polluting microplastics

Researchers developed bacterial cellulose (BC) biopolymer filters as a sustainable alternative to petroleum-based polymer filters used in wastewater treatment plant microplastic removal. BC filters showed high MP capture efficiency and are biodegradable, addressing both microplastic pollution and the environmental costs of conventional synthetic filter maintenance.

2022 Water Research 66 citations
Article Tier 2

Applications of regenerated bacterial cellulose: a review

This review examines bacterial cellulose as a sustainable alternative to synthetic polymers that contribute to microplastic pollution. Bacterial cellulose is biodegradable, renewable, and has strong mechanical properties, making it suitable for packaging, textiles, and biomedical applications. The study highlights recent advances in processing techniques that could make bacterial cellulose more commercially viable as a replacement for plastics in everyday products.

2024 Cellulose 27 citations
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

A hydrophobic and degradable straw based on the ethyl cellulose-coated bacterial cellulose

Researchers developed a hydrophobic and biodegradable straw made from ethyl cellulose-coated bacterial cellulose as a microplastic-free alternative to conventional disposable plastic straws. The cellulose-based straw achieved the hydrophobicity needed for beverage use while remaining biodegradable, offering a sustainable substitute that avoids microplastic shedding during use and disposal.

2024
Article Tier 2

Xyloglucan films from tamarind kernels reinforced with chemically modified cellulose nanospheres

Researchers developed biodegradable films from tamarind kernel xyloglucan reinforced with chemically modified cellulose nanospheres as an alternative to conventional plastic food packaging. The bio-based films showed improved mechanical and barrier properties, offering a renewable approach to reducing microplastic and nanoplastic generation from the food packaging sector.

2025 International Journal of Biological Macromolecules 1 citations
Article Tier 2

An Antibacterial and Antioxidant Food Packaging Film Based on Amphiphilic Polypeptides‐Resveratrol‐Chitosan

Researchers developed a biodegradable food packaging film made from natural materials including chitosan and resveratrol that kills bacteria and prevents food spoilage. Unlike conventional plastic packaging that breaks down into microplastics, this film is made entirely from biological materials and poses no microplastic contamination risk. This type of eco-friendly alternative could help reduce the microplastics that enter the food supply through traditional plastic packaging.

2024 Small 10 citations
Article Tier 2

High oxygen barrier packaging materials from protein-rich single-celled organisms

Researchers created biodegradable packaging films and trays from protein-rich microbial biomass — single-celled organisms grown in fermentation — achieving oxygen barrier performance comparable to the synthetic plastic EVOH used in commercial food packaging. Unlike petroleum-based plastics that persist in the environment for centuries and shed microplastics, these bio-based materials biodegraded naturally, presenting a viable plastic-free packaging alternative.

2025 Communications Chemistry 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Biotechnological model for ubiquitous mixed petroleum- and bio-based plastics degradation and upcycling into bacterial nanocellulose

Researchers demonstrated a biotechnological approach for breaking down mixed petroleum-based and bio-based plastic waste and converting it into valuable bacterial nanocellulose. The system used engineered microbial communities to simultaneously degrade different plastic types that are typically difficult to recycle together. The study presents a promising model for sustainable end-of-life management of mixed plastic waste streams, addressing a key challenge in reducing plastic pollution.

2024 Journal of Cleaner Production 12 citations
Article Tier 2

Safely Dissolvable and Healable Active Packaging Films Based on Alginate and Pectin

Researchers developed active packaging films from alginate and pectin biocomposites that are safely dissolvable in water, self-healing, and exhibit mechanical properties comparable to commercial packaging films, offering a potential biodegradable alternative to petroleum-based plastics.

2019 Polymers 89 citations
Article Tier 2

Recent Advances in Chemically Modified Cellulose and Its Derivatives for Food Packaging Applications: A Review

This review examined recent advances in chemically modified cellulose and its derivatives for food packaging applications, highlighting how cellulose-based biodegradable materials can replace petroleum-based plastics while discussing challenges in moisture barrier and mechanical properties.

2022 Polymers 95 citations
Article Tier 2

Biodegradable composites based on well-characterized cellulose and poly (butyleneadipate-co-terephthalate)

Researchers developed biodegradable cellulose/PBAT composite films using a silane compatibilizer and one-step reactive extrusion, achieving improved thermal stability, barrier properties, and mechanical performance compared to unmodified blends, making them a promising sustainable alternative to conventional plastic packaging.

2023 BioResources 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Novel Bioplastic from Single Cell Protein as a Potential Packaging Material

Researchers developed a bioplastic from single cell protein derived from microbial treatment of biodegradable waste, demonstrating potential as a renewable packaging material that avoids conventional fossil fuel-derived plastics.

2021 ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering 52 citations
Article Tier 2

Enset starch-based biocomposite film reinforced with Ethiopian bentonite clay: Improved mechanical and barrier properties

Researchers developed an eco-friendly food packaging film made from enset starch reinforced with Ethiopian bentonite clay as an alternative to conventional plastics. Adding 5% bentonite clay increased the film's strength by 132% and reduced water permeability by 42%, making it a more practical option for food packaging. The study demonstrates a promising biodegradable material that could help reduce microplastic pollution from traditional plastic packaging.

2024 International Journal of Biological Macromolecules 6 citations