Biodegradable smart biopolymers for food packaging: Sustainable approach toward green environment

Abstract

The advantage of biodegradable plastics over conventional synthetic plastics in respect to complete and safe disposal makes a way for its use in broad range of usage including agriculture, biomedical, and food packaging. In present scenario, biodegradable materials used for wrapping food products are mostly synthesized renewable raw materials like polylactide, starch-/cellulose-based polymers, polybutylene succinate, and polybutylene succinate-co-adipate. Spoiling of food by microbial contamination along with lipid and protein oxidation is a major concern in terms of food safety and quality, and it may occur in packaged foods even after using traditional food preservation techniques such as freezing, drying, heating, salting, and fermentation. All these problems can be overcome by using bio-based active and smart packaging that provides great opportunities for enhancing quality, tenderness, and freshness along with antimicrobial assets. Recently, antioxidant packaging is developed with bioactive molecules in encapsulated form that also improves aroma characteristics. This chapter gives an overview of different types of biodegradable polymers that are applied for covering of foodstuff and what consequences it confers on environment after biodegradation and composting.