Bioconversion of Food Waste into Bioplastics

Abstract

Food waste is defined as a significant loss in natural resources, such as losses in land, water, energy, and labor. World government agencies have declared that Brazil significantly contributes to food waste. The main causes of food waste are a lack of qualification and preparation for the harvest, inadequate producer knowledge, improper transport and storage conditions, climate changes, improperly installed supply centers, and consumer’s waste. Food waste can be minimized by valorization of these residues through value-added products. For example, the waste of these resources can be reduced through their bioconversion into bioplastics. Thus, several processes used to transform food waste, e.g., soybeans residues, rice and cassava husks (starch), natural fibers (cellulose), and shrimp husks (chitin/chitosan) into biodegradable plastics are presented, which focus on various technologies, different compositions, physicochemical and biological properties, and thermal and mechanical behaviors from the biofilms produced, and their potential applications. The use of these feedstocks for bioplastic generation is currently a challenge for food waste valorization by these companies, and it can provide modern society with an ecofriendly, sustainable, and renewable biomaterial.