Sustainable Bioactive Packaging Based on Thermoplastic Starch and Microalgae.

Anna Martina Tedeschi,Fabrizio Di Caprio,Antonella Piozzi,Iolanda Francolini,Francesca Pagnanelli

doi:10.3390/ijms23010178

Anna Martina Tedeschi, Fabrizio Di Caprio + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms23010178

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Abstract

This study combines the use of corn starch and Tetradesmus obliquus microalgae for the production of antioxidant starch films as flexible packaging material. Starch was plasticized with glycerol and blended with 1 w% polyallylamine chosen as an agent to modify the film physical properties. The addition of polyallylamine improved film water stability and water vapor transmission rate as well as mechanical stiffness and tenacity. The dried Tetradesmus obliquus microalgae, which showed an EC50 value of 2.8 mg/mg DPPH (2.2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical), was then used as antioxidant filler. The addition of microalgae provided the films with good antioxidant activity, which increased with microalgae content increasing. To our knowledge, this is the first study reporting the development of sustainable bioactive packaging films composed of almost 100% starch, and follows the European union’s goals on plastics strategy concerning the promotion of bio-based, compostable plastics and the setting up of approaches to prevent food waste with a simple plastic packaging.

Highlights

Packaging Based on ThermoplasticPlastic plays a key role in different sectors of the modern society, including in the food sector where plastic packaging helps food preservation, reduces transport cost and overall contributes to lower the environmental impact of food production [1]
Starch (S) is a polysaccharide deriving from different kinds of plants, from which is extracted in granular form
The corn starch granules used in this study shows predominantly a spherical morphology and homogeneous size ranging from 10 to 25 μm (Figure 1), this finding being consistent with literature data [49,50]

Summary

Introduction

Plastic plays a key role in different sectors of the modern society, including in the food sector where plastic packaging helps food preservation, reduces transport cost and overall contributes to lower the environmental impact of food production [1]. Besides these advantages, the high production volume, short usage time and the nonbiodegradable nature of most of current plastic packaging arise big concerns about the accumulation of plastic in natural environment (oceans, landfield, etc.) [2]. Additional characteristics are required for food packaging, where polymers should have

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