Bio-based food packaging materials: A sustainable and Holistic approach for cleaner environment- a review

The contribution of plastic packaging in food is substantial, but issues associated with its biodegradability and recycling initiates major concerns for environment and human health thus necessitating substitution of conventional synthetic plastics with bio-based packaging materials. Studies have demonstrated economic competition of bio-based materials with synthetic plastics because of their biodegradability, wide availability, excellent barrier and mechanical properties. These materials can be commercialized on a large scale but still somehow are under-investigated in many areas. Moreover, some of the influencing factors including confusion between bio-based and biodegradability pose a significant challenge on evolution of bio-based packaging. Therefore, the review focuses on bio-based packaging materials derived from various renewable resources like biomass, microorganisms and microalgae involving their possible food packaging applications along with required development in multiple regions for proper utilization of offered advantages in the food packaging market.