Development of Hydrogels from Edible Polymers

Abstract

Hydrogels are three dimensional crosslinked macromolecular network structures that can absorb and retain a significant amount of water without dissolving in it. This chapter reflects a detailed account on hydrogel developed from edible polymers and their potential applications highly emphasizing on food industries as packaging material. Hydrogels based on edibles polymers offers many valuable properties compared to their synthetic counterparts. Edibles polymers can contribute to the reduction of environmental contamination; advances recyclability, provides sustainability and there by increases its applicability along with providing environmentally benign products. The application of edible polymer hydrogel covers many areas including drug delivery to tissue engineering in biomedical fields, food industries; providing more safe and attractive products, and pharmaceuticals etc. The main objective of this chapter is to provide a brief idea and description about edible polymers based hydrogels, its synthesis, properties and applications.