Biodegradable food packaging and film: a short review

Abstract

Food packaging plays an important role in maintaining the quality of packaged food from any chemical, physical and environmental damage. Conventionally, plastic material is used in the food industry because of its large availability and excellent mechanical performance at low cost. However, the usage of plastic packaging in huge amounts creates environmental and health issues. The preparation methods of the biodegradable packaging or films have been reviewed. The properties of the packaging are varied depending on the ingredients of the films. The mechanical properties such as tensile strength of the biodegradable films can be improved by additive cellulose fibre or metal oxide composition. Metal oxide composition is added to the production of the film as reinforcement. The increase in metal oxide composition indicates the tendency to increase tensile strength. However, a decrease in elongation at break is observed as the percentage of modified cellulose increases. The addition of a natural bioactive compound such as antioxidant, antimicrobial and water vapour permeability also enhance the functionality of the film and provides intelligent communication with the consumer. The review provided information for readers to choose a suitable preparation method for biodegradable films. The article also offers data on materials selection based on the comparison of the film properties. Biodegradable packaging approach to mitigate the management of plastic waste which serves as an urgent crisis recently and supports in moving towards a sustainable environment.