Biodegradable packaging reinforced with plant-based food waste and by-products

Abstract

• Adding PWBs into biopolymers can improve the properties of obtained packaging. • Approaches for pretreatments or fabrication can further improve packaging properties. • Gaps still exist between biodegradable and commercial plastic packaging materials. • Coordination among academia, industry and consumer is needed for future development. Use of plastic food packaging has long been debated due to its negative environmental impact. As a result of this, the need to develop sustainable and biodegradable packaging continuously grows, particularly that using plant-based materials. There is a potential to incorporate plant-based food waste or by-products (PWBs) as raw materials into biodegradable packaging for enhancement of packaging performance. While fabricating packaging with PWBs requires pretreating them for fully utilizing and maximizing their functions. Currently, such new materials are not comparable to existing commercial products, not only because of their cost-effectiveness but also due to the disconnections among researchers, manufacturers, and consumers. We provide a concise summary of the most recent advances, focusing on the approaches to using PWB components, the properties of reinforced materials, and their potential applications in biodegradable food packaging.