Biodegradable Packaging Materials Research Articles

Development of curcumin incorporated composite films based on chitin and glucan complexes extracted from Agaricus bisporus for active packaging of chicken breast meat

Composite films were prepared by combining different concentrations of curcumin with chitin and glucan complexes (CGCs) extracted from Agaricus bisporus via a solution casting method. The developed curcumin doped CGC (CGC/Cu) films were characterized in terms of surface, optical, structural, barrier, mechanical, antioxidant, and antimicrobial properties. The biodegradability of CGC/Cu films was determined in soil for 14 days. The incorporation of curcumin significantly affected the surface morphology and improved light barrier properties, radical scavenging activity, and total phenolic content of the films. The CGC/Cu films containing different concentrations of curcumin showed antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli, while antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus was not observed with the developed films. Afterward, the microbial properties of the fresh chicken breast were examined during refrigerated storage for 10 days. The shelf-life of chicken samples wrapped in the developed film was extended at least 40 % compared to the control sample. In conclusion, curcumin incorporated CGC based films can serve as a promising biodegradable active packaging material to improve the shelf-life of meat products.

PVA/CNC/TiO2 nanocomposite for food-packaging: Improved mechanical, UV/water vapor barrier, and antimicrobial properties

Although polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) is a promising biodegradable packaging material, it presents some disadvantages for food packaging such as poor ultraviolet (UV) and water vapor barrier properties, low mechanical strength, poor water resistance, and lack of antimicrobial properties. To overcome these limitations, novel PVA/cellulose nanocrystals (CNC)/titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanocomposites were developed, characterized, and demonstrated for potential food packaging applications. The mechanical strength, water vapor barrier, and UV barrier properties of PVA/CNC/TiO2 5 % film (5 wt% TiO2 in the PVA/CNC matrix with 5 wt% of CNCs) increased by 55.8 %, 45.2 %, and 70,056.8 %, respectively, compared to those of a PVA film. In the antibacterial simulation test, PVA/CNC/TiO2 5 % film could limit the growth of microorganisms for 14 days. In packaging tests with fresh garlic, PVA/CNC/TiO2 films effectively prevented weight loss and spoilage by external influences, indicating the potential of the PVA/CNC/TiO2 nanocomposites for food-packaging applications.

Characterization of biodegradable food packaging films prepared with polyamide 4: Influence of molecular weight and environmental humidity

AbstractThe development of biodegradable packaging materials focuses on their barrier properties and mechanical properties, which are critical parameters for food protection. Synthetic biodegradable material polyamide 4 (PA4) may offer outstanding capacities for packaging due to its rigid molecular structure. The current study originally reveals the various physical properties of PA4 films and explores the influence of its internal structure, molecular weight, and external environment, environmental humidity, on its performance to provide further guidance for PA4 application. PA4 (Mη = 18,000 g/mol) films showed tensile strength (TS) of 47.5 ± 1.3 MPa, elongation at break (EB) of 228% ± 30%, oxygen permeability of 7.83 ± 3.32 × 10−17 cm3 m−1 s−1 Pa−1, and water vapor permeability of 4.34 ± 0.06 × 10−11g m−1 s−1 Pa−1. The TS and EB of PA4 improved slightly with increasing molecular weight, while the barrier characteristic remained unchanged. The moisture adsorption capabilities of PA4 films were similar to natural hydrophilic polymers. The mechanical characteristic of PA4 changed from brittle to ductile with the increase in relative humidity. Overall, PA4 can be considered to be a promising food packaging material since it presented better mechanical and oxygen barrier properties than those of commercial food packaging polymers.

Development of Pectin and Poly(vinyl alcohol)-Based Active Packaging Enriched with Itaconic Acid and Apple Pomace-Derived Antioxidants.

The production of active and biodegradable packaging materials is an emerging and efficient alternative to plastic packaging materials. By combining poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA), pectin, and itaconic acid (IA), biodegradable and water-soluble packaging materials can be obtained that can also increase the shelf-life and quality of foodstuff. In the present study, the generated film-forming solutions were enriched with organic or phenolic extracts from apple by-products (apple pomace). These extracts possess an efficient antioxidant activity of 9.70 ± 0.08, and 78.61 ± 0.24 μM Trolox/100 g fresh weight, respectively. Furthermore, the lyophilization of these by-products increased the extract’s organic and phenolic content and the antioxidant activity to 67.45 ± 0.28 and 166.69 ± 0.47 μM Trolox/100 g fresh weight, respectively. These extracts influence the physical-chemical properties of the biofilm solutions by facilitating the polymerization process and thus positively influencing their viscosity. The resulting biofilms presented low water vapor permeability and reduced solubility in water. Adding IA and organic/phenolic compounds facilitates the resistance against intrinsic and extrinsic factors; therefore, they might be applicable in the food industry.

The Emergence of Edible and Food-Application Coatings for Food Packaging: A Review.

Food packaging was not as important in the past as it is now, because the world has more people but fewer food resources. Food packaging will become more prevalent and go from being a nice-to-have to an essential feature of modern life. Food packaging has grown to be an important industry sector in today’s world of more people and more food. Food packaging innovation faces significant challenges in extending perishable food products’ shelf life and contributing to meeting daily nutrient requirements as people nowadays are searching for foods that offer additional health advantages. Modern food preservation techniques have two objectives: process viability and safe, environmentally friendly end products. Long-term storage techniques can include the use of edible coatings and films. This article gives a succinct overview of the supplies and procedures used to coat food products with conventional packaging films and coatings. The key findings summarizing the biodegradable packaging materials are emphasized for their ability to prolong the freshness and flavor of a wide range of food items; films and edible coatings are highlighted as viable alternatives to traditional packaging methods. We discuss the safety concerns and opportunities presented by applying edible films and coatings, allowing it to be used as quality indicators for time-sensitive foods.

Role of Food Microbiology in Food Safety and Food Security and Biodegradable Packaging of Food

Environmental and food safety concerns are driving the development of biodegradable packaging as a partial replacement for petrochemical-based polymers. This review will keep you up to date on the latest developments in biodegradable packaging materials and the role of virtual technology. Gelatin, starch, chitosan, cellulose, and polylactic acid are examples of common biodegradable materials. Tensile strength, tear resistance, permeability, degradability, and solubility are all properties that influence the selection and use of food packaging materials whereas assimilation is useful in process of biodegradation. Microbial enzymatic actions and bio assimilation can degrade biodegradable films in soil. To improve the performance of packaging materials, nanoparticles are incorporated into blended films.

Improving the properties of corn starch films for application as packaging material via reinforcement with microcrystalline cellulose synthesized from elephant grass

Nowadays, the development of biodegradable packaging materials from natural renewable sources has attained great attraction in the research field to mitigate environmental problems and the depletion of resources. In this regard, starch-based films are effective for food packaging due to their low cost and eco-friendliness. In the present study, microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) was synthesized from elephant grass biomass and characterized using XRD, FTIR, FESEM, and TGA analysis. The prepared E-MCC was then employed as reinforcement in corn starch films to improve their properties, and the fabricated films were characterized using FTIR, FESEM, TGA, water contact angle, moisture content, and tensile strength testing. The addition of 1% E-MCC significantly enhanced the thermal stability of the films by increasing the peak degradation temperature from 312.3 (neat starch film) to 321 °C. The water contact angle value of the pure starch film was 19.52°, which increased to 98.83° with the incorporation of 5% E-MCC. The mechanical strength of the film increased from 6.03 MPa (neat film) to 22.33 MPa (5% E-MCC). The findings in the study reveal that MCC synthesized from elephant grass is a promising reinforcing agent that can considerably enhance the various properties of corn starch films for food packaging applications.

Developing a cerium lactate antibacterial nucleating agent for multifunctional polylactic acid packaging film

With the rapid development of the packaging industry, people have high requirements for the functionality of packaging materials. As a representative biodegradable packaging material, polylactic acid (PLA) still has some problems. Multifunctional additives in PLA are an effective modification method. In this paper, cerium lactate (Ce-LA) was synthesized by a precipitation method and integrated into PLA to prepare a functional PLA composite. The results showed that Ce-LA not only significantly improved the crystallinity but also imparted antibacterial ability to PLA. When the concentration of Ce-LA was 0.9 %, the crystallinity of PLA reached 39.35 %, which was 77 % higher than that of pure PLA. When the addition of Ce-LA was 1.8 %, the antibacterial rates of PLA against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli reached 93 % and 85 %, respectively. This study provides a beneficial solution for the development of PLA packaging materials with high crystallinity and antibacterial properties.

Preparation and application of (Cu2O‐Ag)@TA composite nanomaterials with enhanced stability and photocatalytic antibacterial activity

AbstractFood spoilage caused by bacterial growth is a serious threat to human health, so food preservation technology with long‐acting antibacterial effect has been widely studied. In this work, (Cu2O‐Ag)@TA heterojunction composite antibacterial material with a core‐shell structure was synthesized to improve the stability of Cu2O. Morphological characterization shows that silver nanoparticles are uniformly distributed on the surface of Cu2O microspheres, (Cu2O‐Ag)@TA has a core‐shell structure, the particle size is about 300 nm, and the thickness of the tannic acid shell is about 6 nm. In addition, (Cu2O‐Ag)@TA exhibits excellent dispersibility and stability, it can stably release Cu2+ within 14 days and has enhanced reactive oxygen species release performance, thus achieving excellent antibacterial properties, with a minimum inhibitory concentrations of 96 μg ml−1 against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. In addition, adding (Cu2O‐Ag)@TA into the LbL‐PVA/CS/FA composite film can improve the mechanical properties and antibacterial ability of the composite film, providing a feasible solution for new biodegradable antibacterial packaging materials.

Chitin Nanocomposite Based on Plasticized Poly(lactic acid)/Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PLA/PHB) Blends as Fully Biodegradable Packaging Materials.

Fully bio-based poly(lactic acid) (PLA) and poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) blends plasticized with tributyrin (TB), and their nanocomposite based on chitin nanoparticles (ChNPs) was developed using melt mixing followed by a compression molding process. The combination of PHB and ChNPs had an impact on the crystallinity of the plasticized PLA matrix, thus improving its oxygen and carbon dioxide barrier properties as well as displaying a UV light-blocking effect. The addition of 2 wt% of ChNP induced an improvement on the initial thermal degradation temperature and the overall migration behavior of blends, which had been compromised by the presence of TB. All processed materials were fully disintegrated under composting conditions, suggesting their potential application as fully biodegradable packaging materials.

Biodegradable packaging materials based on low density polyethylene, starch and monoglycerides

Objectives. To investigate the production and biological degradation of biodegradable hybrid compositions (BHCs), dispersed-filled with starch-containing products of various origins and distilled monoglycerides, along with the biodegradation of compositions based on low density polyethylene and thermoplastic starch (TPS) of various origins: corn, pea, and rice.Methods. Thermoplastic starch was obtained based on native starches of several types, which were processed in Brabender and MashkPlast (Russia) laboratory extruders. BHCs in the form of strands, granules, and films were obtained by mixing thermoplastic starches with polyethylene in extruders. Structural BHC parameters were studied by optical and electron scanning microscopy. The biodegradability of the composite films was evaluated by placing them in biohumus for six months; during storage, the change in water absorption of the films was determined. Before and after the biodegradation process, tensile fracture stress and elongation at rupture were determined to evaluate BHC performance (physical and mechanical characteristics of films). Changes in the chemical structure during biodegradation were determined by Fourier infrared spectroscopy.Results. The positive effect (acceleration of the biodegradation process) of using a novel type of starch plasticizer—monoglycerides distilled in TPS–polyethylene compositions—was confirmed. After six months, intensive sporulation of active microorganisms was observed on the surface of the samples. At the same time, water absorption by the samples reached 30%. The observed 60% decrease in strength and deformation properties indicates an intensive process of biodegradation.Conclusions. The biodegradation rate was shown to depend on the concentration and even distribution of the natural biodegradable filler in the synthetic polymer composition.

Advances in Bio-degradable Polymer Composites-Based Packaging Material

Advances in Bio-degradable Polymer Composites-Based Packaging Material

Biobased Food Packaging Materials: Sustainable Alternative to Conventional Petrochemical Packaging Materials: A Review

Plastics as a packaging material in the food industry is highly preferable, but due to environmental concerns and government legislation, there is a need to develop biobased biodegradable packaging materials. This review includes the sources of biopolymers, methods of productions, future and applications of biobased packaging materials in food packaging. As bioplastic materials have some limitations in terms of mechanical and barrier properties in comparison with synthetic plastics. These limitations can be overcome by using suitable fillers, nanocomposites and certain additives in bioplastics production. The development of bioplastic has a high potential to replace non-biodegradable plastic packaging. Biopolymer with synthetic polymers blends is also an emerging area of research. Bench casting and continuous casting are the popular methods for bioplastic production in the scientific community. According to the global production capacities of the bioplastics report, the present bioplastics production is only 2% of the production volume of the synthetic polymers, it will increase 4% until 2023.

MIGRATION AND STORAGE STUDIES OF BISCUITS AND CHIPS ON BIODEGRADABLE PACKAGING FILM

The overall migration constituents from a Biodegradable film (LDPE and Cassava starch) into foodproducts (Biscuit and Chips) was studied using 3% aqueous acetic acid (Simulant B). Test conditions asmentioned in IS-9845:1998 of BIS were followed for migration studies and AOAC for Physico-chemicalproperties and migration. The migration study of biscuits and chips wasdetermined using simulant B. Theproducts were stored at ambient temperature and Physico-chemical properties were evaluated for sixmonths. Overall migration values for biscuits were found to be in the range of 0.29- 0.43 mg/dm2 and of chipswere 0.28-0.42 mg/dm2. The moisture content of Biscuits and Chips were 1.14%-1.8%, 1.25%-1.77%respectively, Acid value of biscuit and chips was 1.59-2.47%, 1.21-1.99%, Peroxide value of biscuit and chipswas 3.91-5.70 mg/g, 3.93-5.47 mg/g. The Free fatty acid of biscuitsand chips was 0.79-1.24%, 0.60-1.00%respectively. The migration study result revealed that the biodegradable packaging material was foundsuitable for packaging biscuits and chips.

Antimicrobial packaging film from cactus (Cylindropuntia fulgida) mucilage and gelatine

Gelatine is an excellent substitute for biodegradable packaging materials; nevertheless, it is necessary to mix it with other polymers due to its poor mechanical and high hydrophilicity. In the present study, we used Cylindropuntia fulgida mucilage (CF) as main constituent and gelatine (GTN). The Euphorbia caducifolia extract (ECE) was incorporated in concentrations of 0, 1, 5, 10, 20 %, and its influence on the film's morphological, thermal, mechanical, and water vapor barrier properties was assessed. The surface of fabricated CF/GTN/ECE biocomposite films was more homogeneous and smoother with the high concentration of in ECE. The elongation at break improved from 2 to 60.59 %, and WVP enhanced from 3.34 to 2.59 10−4 g mm/mm2 day kPa and highest antimicrobial activity of 3.62 ± 0.71 Log CFU g−1 when CF/GTN was incorporated with 20 % ECE. Incorporating CF and ECE 10 to 20 % makes these films a good substitute for the packaging of food products.

Use of PLA/PBAT stretch-cling film as an ecofriendly alternative for individual wrapping of broccoli heads

Broccoli heads are typically packaged and marketed in petroleum-based heat-shrinkable or stretch-cling films that are not biodegradables. These types of films are not compatible with global strategies to reduce plastics waste. One of these strategies is development of biodegradable packaging materials that can be used as an alternative food package. Therefore, a biodegradable stretch-cling film, based on poly(butylene-adipate-co-terephthalate) and poly(lactide) blend (Nature Fresh®), for its application in broccoli head packaging has been studied. To determine suitability of Nature Fresh® film for broccoli packaging, broccoli heads were wrapped in this film and stored at 2°C for 35 d. Broccolis without packaging and wrapped in linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) were used as controls. Physicochemical and sensory evaluation were determined during storage to study the effect of films on quality and shelf life of broccoli. On the one hand, broccolis packaged in Nature Fresh® and LLDPE presented similar evolution in internal atmosphere composition, color, hydroxycinnamic acids and carotenoids content and overall appearance. On the other hand, weight loss and decrease in firmness were significantly higher in broccoli wrapped in Nature Fresh® compared to LLDPE, but this had no impact on overall appearance. Nature Fresh® extended postharvest storage of broccoli heads at least 21 d at 2ºC, which is an adequate time to market. In conclusion, Nature Fresh® film was a viable packaging alternative to LLDPE to preserve broccoli quality during postharvest storage, while fulfilling global strategies to reduce plastics waste.

Opportunities in the microbial valorization of sugar industrial organic waste to biodegradable smart food packaging materials

Many petroleum-derived plastics, including food packaging materials are non-biodegradable and designed for single-use applications. Annually, around 175 Mt. of plastic enters the land and ocean ecosystems due to mismanagement and lack of techno economically feasible plastic waste recycling technologies. Renewable sourced, biodegradable polymer-based food packaging materials can reduce this environmental pollution. Sugar production from sugarcane or sugar beet generates organic waste streams that contain fermentable substrates, including sugars, acids, and aromatics. Microbial metabolism can be leveraged to funnel those molecules to platform chemicals or biopolymers to generate biodegradable food packaging materials that have active or sensing molecules embedded in biopolymer matrices. The smart package can real-time monitor food quality, assure health safety, and provide economic and environmental benefits. Active packaging materials display functional properties such as antimicrobial, antioxidant, and light or gas barrier. This article provides an overview of potential biodegradable smart/active polymer packages for food applications by valorizing sugar industry-generated organic waste. We highlight the potential microbial pathways and metabolic engineering strategies to biofunnel the waste carbon efficiently into the targeted platform chemicals such as lactic, succinate, muconate, and biopolymers, including polyhydroxyalkanoates, and bacterial cellulose. The obtained platform chemicals can be used to produce biodegradable polymers such as poly (butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT) that could replace incumbent polyethylene and polypropylene food packaging materials. When nanomaterials are added, these polymers can be active/smart. The process can remarkably lower the greenhouse gas emission and energy used to produce food-packaging material via sugar industrial waste carbon relative to the petroleum-based production. The proposed green routes enable the valorization of sugar processing organic waste into biodegradable materials and enable the circular economy.

Mung bean protein films incorporated with cumin essential oil: development and characterization

Abstract Biodegradable films based on mung bean protein (1, 3 and 5%) incorporated with cumin essential oil (EO) (0, 0.25 and 0.5 ml/g protein) were developed. Adding cumin oil and increasing the protein content enhanced the thickness, tensile strength and yellowness. Films incorporated with EO exhibited less water vapor permeability and water solubility, as compared to the control films. A higher antioxidant activity was also obtained by increasing the EO and protein ratios. Films with higher levels of protein displayed lower thermal stability with a lower degradation temperature, as suggested by thermo-gravimetric analyses. In addition, the incorporation of EO reduced thermal stability, as confirmed by the higher weight loss and lower degradation temperature. Furthermore, mung bean protein films containing 0.5 ml cumin oil/g protein had suitable physical characteristics, antioxidant activities, water barrier properties and thermal stability; thus, they can be used as appropriate biodegradable packaging materials for food preservation.

Effect of ultrasonication on mechanical properties, biodegradability, and morphological behavior of composite biodegradable cup

India accumulates 5.6 million tonnes of plastic waste every year, out of which 66% is the mixed waste polybags and pouches used for food packaging. Especially, the single-use cups, made up of polystyrene, are not generally recycled as their process is expensive and tedious. On the other hand, biodegradable composite materials on biodegradation and composting act as fertilizers. The applicability of these biodegradable packaging materials is less in the industries as they lack mechanical barrier properties compared with plastic packaging materials. Ultrasonication is one such technology that can result in the successful enhancement of various properties. In ultrasonication, the amplitude was changed to 20%, 40%, and 60%, and time of ultrasonication was varied as 2, 4, 8, and 16 min. Mechanical properties such as tensile strength (31.38 N) and puncture strength (13.35 N) showed improvement. Other important properties such as density increased, whereas the water vapor transmission rate of biodegradable cup samples was decreased. Novelty impact statement The developed composite biodegradable cup with ultrasonication has good mechanical properties. The developed biodegradable cup can be used as a single-use food server, thus reducing the use of plastic cups in the food industry.

Pearl millet starch-based nanocomposite films reinforced with Kudzu cellulose nanocrystals and essential oil: Effect on functionality and biodegradability

This paper documents the preparation of three biopolymer films: 1) pearl millet starch (PMS) films, 2) PMS films reinforced with cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs), and 3) PMS films reinforced with CNCs stabilized Pickering emulsion of clove bud oil (CBO) and a comparison of their mechanical and water barrier properties and biodegradation behavior in soil. Reinforcing PMS films with Kudzu CNCs/CBO significantly increased tensile strength (from 3.9 to 16.7 MPa) and Young's modulus (from 90 to 376 MPa) but reduced the elongation (54.2 to 30 %) at the break of nanocomposite films. Also, the water vapor permeability of nanocomposite films decreased (from 9.60 to 7.25 × 10−10gm−1s− 1Pa−1) with the incorporation of Kudzu CNCs/CBO. The fastest biodegradation was observed for PMS films (98% in 15 days), followed by PMS films reinforced with Kudzu CNCs (96% in 18 days), followed by PMS films reinforced with Kudzu CNCs stabilized Pickering emulsions (94% in 21 days). The morphological analysis found hyphae-like structure formation due to microbial action, which increased over time. In general, all three biopolymer films showed good biodegradation behavior, and they all degraded between 15 and 21 days, suggesting that starch-based films reinforced with Kudzu CNCs provide a technique for the production of biodegradable packaging material.