Edible, strong, and low‐hygroscopic bacterial cellulose derived from biosynthesis and physical modification for food packaging

Abstract Background The pervasive presence of plastic packaging has led to significant environmental contamination due to excessive reliance on petrochemicals and the inherent non‐biodegradability of these materials. Bacterial cellulose (BC) films present a viable alternative for food packaging applications, owing to their environmentally friendly synthesis process, non‐toxic nature, robust mechanical strength, and biodegradability. However, the high hygroscopicity of such bio‐based materials has limited their widespread adoption, as it results in diminished strength and barrier properties. In this study, a novel approach for creating edible, transparent, robust, and high‐barrier BC‐based composite packaging was proposed through biosynthesis with the incorporation of soy protein isolate and the physical interpenetration of calcium alginate‐polyethylene glycol as a composite coating. Results The finding demonstrated that the synthesized bio‐based composite material exhibits stability in water, high optical transparency, complete oil resistance, and full degradability within 1 to 2 months. Furthermore, the composite material displayed enhanced mechanical properties in both dry and wet conditions, with a tensile strength of approximately 84 MPa, outperforming commercially available kraft paper and low‐density polyethylene. Conclusions Soy protein isolate established a rigid, coherent, and homogeneous network with BC fibrils, thereby augmenting mechanical properties. Calcium alginate can be effectively combined with BC, utilizing polyethylene glycol as a binder and plasticizer, to generate a densely packed structure with reduced hygroscopicity. This bio‐based composite material demonstrated considerable potential for application in food packaging and other value‐added sectors as a substitute for non‐degradable plastics. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.