Eco-friendly innovations in food packaging: A sustainable revolution

Abstract

Packaging is crucial in ensuring the quality and safety of food, protecting it from various contaminants, and extending its shelf life. Materials used for packaging food must be economical, durable, and possess good barrier properties. One of the major challenges faced by the food industry is developing an eco-friendly, economical, and sustainable packaging system. The conventional materials, which majorly depend on petroleum-derived polymers, are associated with several significant problems, such as environmental pollution, depletion of resources, generation of single-use wastes, leakage of chemicals into food products, limited recycling, and so on. As the food sector focuses on reducing its environmental impact, by encouraging revolutionary changes for an effective sustainable food packaging approach. The core objective of industrial packaging was to innovate a biodegradable material, especially derived from renewable biomass resources as eco-friendly alternatives in the food industry. One of the significant trends involves production of bioplastics, which are derived from renewable polymers such as corn starch, sugarcane, or algae. These materials offer a viable alternative to traditional petroleum-based plastics, as they are often compostable or biodegradable. The development of advanced bioplastics with improved barrier properties and durability is gaining traction, addressing environmental and health concerns and functionalizing a packaging material. The present review discusses the limitations of conventional packaging materials used in the food industry and focuses on the various polymers derived from natural sources, their physio-chemical properties, and their potential application as a sustainable material that reduce carbon emission, and enhance preservation of food and ensure food safety.