Advancements in eco-friendly food packaging through nanocomposites: a review

Abstract

Presently, the food industry continues to be major contributor of plastic waste across the globe. The food industry is in great demand of sustainable food packaging material due to increase environmental and health consciousness. Biobased polymers which are degradable promise to be a key solution. Use of nanotechnological advancements in biopolymers provide a wide range of additional benefit and makes them a suitable packaging material. The benefits include barrier to oxygen permeability, moisture permeability, crystalline structure, other barrier properties, morphology, thermal stability, optical properties, mechanical properties, improving shelf life of the packaged food and antimicrobial characteristics. Polymeric materials (matrix) have been infused with nanofillers such as silicates, carbon, cellulose and starch nanoparticles. This review aims to focus on new and effectual polymeric materials for food packaging that are technologically advanced with nanotechnology as a solution to the challenges faced by food industry with regard to the product safety and materials performance.