Recent development in preparation of food packaging films using biopolymers

Abstract

In the past decades, most materials used in the food packaging industry are non- biodegradable materials that pose increased environmental concerns and sustainability issues. Hence, polymer-based biodegradable materials and edible films have been developed to increase the shelf life of food products. Especially, biopolymer-based nano-materials are engineered with multifunctional characteristics because of their size, surface area, shelf life, thermal stability, and mechanical and barrier strength. These materials display enriched properties of biodegradability, antimicrobial activity, and biocompatibility and may have the possibility to replace plastic materials in future. Thus, this review offers a brief overview of the classification of biopolymers, key parameters that are important in food packaging films (including the role of plasticizers, cross-linkers, pH, temperature, and relative humidity), and recent applications of novel biopolymer nanocomposite materials used in the food industries.