The Potential Sustainable Packaging Solutions: A Mini Review

Packaging is an important stage in the production process that occurs before the product is delivered to the end user. The global packaging market is quickly expanding as a result of population growth and technological developments [1]. The Global plastic manufacturing reaches 300 million tons per year, with packaging accounting for over 40% of total demand. Plastics are widely favored materials for food, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical packaging due to their low cost, lightweight nature, and ability to protect the packaged product. All sectors, including academics, industry, politics, and civil society, recognize the complicated issues with plastic waste disposal, which deteriorate over time [2,3]. The global rise in plastic garbage has also a tremendous impact on waste accumulation in landfills and marine habitats. These materials, which can degrade over decades, pose substantial issues for environmental sustainability. Persistent use of these materials harms ecosystems, promotes microplastic proliferation, and increases greenhouse gas emissions. Environmental public pressure is backed by severe legislation around the world that prohibits certain materials generated from fossil fuels (e.g., single-use plastic packaging), mandates recycling, and seeks more sustainable packaging material alternatives. As a result, there is a rising interest in biopolymers generated from renewable resources, particularly those that can degrade naturally over time [4]. In response to the environmental challenges posed by conventional plastic packaging, there is growing interest in bio-based materials derived from renewable resources such as polysaccharides, proteins, and polyhydroxyalkanoates. These sustainable alternatives offer reduced carbon footprints and improved circularity, making them promising candidates for eco-friendly food packaging solutions [5]. Natural materials are less poisonous and pose fewer health risks, making them ideal for food applications. Many studies examine the potential for biopolymers, bioactive chemicals, and natural compounds to replace traditional plastics and promote a circular economy in food packaging. Biopolymers derived from polysaccharides, proteins, and lipids, as well as bioactive substances like essential oils and plant extracts, are biodegradable and have a lower environmental impact than traditional plastics. Recent research suggests that biopolymers like PLA and PHA can be effective packaging materials, while chitosan and cellulose have antibacterial and antioxidant properties that improve food safety and shelf life [6,7]. This mini review intends to identify a link between natural substances and sustainable packaging, promoting their adoption in the market. This presents potential for novel and accountable packaging solutions that are consistent with global environmental goals. This paper offers a thorough path for promoting sustainable development in the food packaging sector by addressing the potential presented by natural chemicals.

Natural fibers and starch-based materials

Environmental concerns drive consumer interest in recyclable packaging on a global basis. Jute fiber packaging offers a sustainable alternative to synthetic materials. Habib et al. [8] produced a sustainable antimicrobial nonwoven fabric by heat pressing jute web and polyethylene pellets. The generated samples’ performance was assessed by examining their structural, thermal, mechanical, humidity management, and antibacterial characteristics. SEM confirmed the homogenous interface adhesion between jute and polyethylene. The FTIR spectra confirmed the presence of jute, polyethylene, and peppermint oil in the generated samples. Mechanical properties were investigated with a universal strength tester, and both tensile and elongation strengths (%) were sufficient. Low thermal conductivities were found in the samples. Dang et al. developed food packaging with benefits such as good water vapor barrier, UV resistance, antibacterial activity, non-leach ability, and polymer miscibility [9]. Initially, the starch-based antimicrobial agent (OCSI) was produced by esterifying Oxidized Corn Starch (OCS) with indoleacetic acid. OCSI was combined with eco-friendly materials (PVA, PBAT, PCL) to create a line of sustainable packaging films. The films had excellent thermal stability and were completely UV-A and UV-B resistant. Additionally, the films demonstrated strong resistance to water vapor, as well as antioxidant and antibacterial properties against E. coli and S. aureus. The films can protect fresh fruits from degradation and extend shelf life, making them more suitable for safe packaging. Maintaining fruit freshness throughout long-distance transit poses considerable issues, including the danger of spoiling. 1-MCP, an ethylene inhibitor, is commonly used to slow down fruit ripening and retain freshness. Controlling the release of 1-MCP is tough, and standard carrier materials including paper, chitosan films, and microcapsules have been unsatisfactory. Jiang et al. [10] proposed a new ecological packaging with a “sandwich” shape made from starch-based foam sheets. The foam’s hydrophilic characteristics and porous structure allow for the controlled and delayed release of 1-MCP.

Protein-based materials

Proteins can develop varied microstructures, including spherical nanoparticles, tiny fibers, and amyloid fibrils, depending on pH, temperature, and magnetic stirring conditions [11]. Karabulut et al. [12] found that protein fibrillization and characterization improved the structural, mechanical, and functional properties of soy and pea protein fibrils, making them suitable for biodegradable food packaging [12]. The fibrillization method improved β-sheet alignment by 1.3-fold in Soy Protein Fibrils (SPF) and 1.2-fold in pea. Protein Fibrils (PFs). The fluorescence experiments showed that SPF had stronger β-sheet alignment than PPF. The structural investigation revealed flexible, worm-like fibrils in SPF and PPF. Mechanical testing showed considerable increases, with tensile strength increasing to 4.88 MPa for SPF and 3.83 MPa for PPF films. Additionally, elongation at break reached 221% for SPF and 101.62% for PPF films. Amyloid fibrillation reduces water solubility and permeability, but increases swelling in protein films. Granados- Carrera et al aim to enhance the performance of soy protein/glycerol injected bio plastics through including different biopolymers (gelatin and saccharose) or using different crosslinking methods (physical, chemical, or enzymes crosslinking through thermal treatment, glyoxal, or transglutaminase, respectively). These materials were assessed using physical-chemical, mechanical, and functional tests [13]. The results revealed a modification in the mechanical qualities of the reinforced based on protein bioplastics, demonstrating an increase in stiffness and a decrease in deformability, limiting their potential to absorb water.

Bio-plastic materials

While plastic packaging plays a crucial role in food preservation and safety, its poor biodegradability and recycling inefficiencies raise serious environmental and health concerns. Bio-based packaging materials, derived from renewable sources such as biomass and microorganisms, offer a promising alternative due to their biodegradability, abundance, and favorable barrier and mechanical properties. Despite their commercial potential, these materials remain underexplored in several domains, with misconceptions, such as conflating bio-based origin with biodegradability, hindering their broader adoption. This review highlights recent advances in bio-based food packaging materials and emphasizes the need for targeted development to harness their full potential [14]. Petroleum-based polymers have traditionally served the packaging sector. Bioplastics, made from biological substances rather than petroleum, are a viable option for sustainable packaging due to environmental concerns, rising oil prices, disposal and landfill issues, shifting consumer preferences, and new regulations. The packaging industry’s shift toward the use of biobased and/ or biodegradable materials, as well as a circular economy based on plastic recycling, will assist the industry achieve its future sustainability requirements for a wide range of applications [15]. The excessive accumulation of plastic waste poses a significant environmental threat, with current recycling strategies proving inadequate to mitigate the crisis. This has spurred intensive research into sustainable alternatives, particularly bio-based materials, which hold promise due to their renewable origin and lower environmental impact. Despite this progress, commercial adoption remains limited, primarily due to existing knowledge gaps between academic research and industrial application. The food packaging sector, undergoing a major shift away from synthetic plastics, serves as a model for how bioproducts can be effectively integrated and scaled across other industries [16]. Table 1 shows a variety of bioplastics with different characteristics suitable for packaging applications. There are three types of bioplastics: (1) biobased or partially biobased non-biodegradable plastics like PE, PP, or PET; (2) biobased and biodegradable plastics like PLA, PHA, or PBS; and (3) fossil-based and biodegradable plastics like Polybutylene Adipate Terephthalate (PBAT) [17]. Bioplastics have a lower carbon footprint and better compostability than petroleumbased plastics [18]. Biobased plastics are both sustainable and have equivalent physico-mechanical properties to petroleum-based polymers, making them a viable alternative.

Table 1:Global bioplastic manufacturing capacities in 2020 and projected for 2025.

Cellulose based materials

Cellulose is the most prominent biopolymer, making it a viable resource for environmentally friendly container applications. Cellulose can be generated from biomass such as wood. This includes forestry and agricultural leftovers, algae, plants, and some bacteria. Zhang et al created degradable, renewable, and reusable cellulosebased active packaging films via a one-pot green synthesis of silver-based metal-organic frameworks on carboxymethyl cellulose (Ag-2MI@CMC). The preparation procedure is simple, using a water solvent solution at standard temperatures and pressure [19]. The Ag-MI@CMC composite film outperforms commercial PE films in several ways, including superior durability and antifog performance (Ag-2MI@CMC film has a tensile strength of about 61MPa vs. 35MPa for commercial PE films), excellent antimicrobial properties (including bacteria and mold), better fruit preservation, and high natural degradability (complete degradation). The usage of farming waste-derived Carboxymethyl Cellulose (CMC) is primarily to minimize the costs associated with film creation; currently, commercially available CMS is expensive. The primary goal of Yaradoddi et al. [20] is to convert agricultural waste-derived CMC into a usable biodegradable polymer suited for packaging purposes. During this method, CMC was extracted from agricultural waste, primarily sugar cane bagasse, and blends were created by combining CMC (waste derived), gelatin, agar, and varying percentages of glycerol: 1.5% (sample A), 2% (sample B), and 2.5% (sample C). Sample C (gelatin + CMC + agar) with 2.0% glycerol as a plasticizer outperformed samples A and B in terms of film quality. The physiochemical properties of biodegradable plastics (samples A, B, and C) were analyzed using FTIR spectroscopy and DSC. Thermal Gravimetric Analysis (TGA). The material’s swelling test, solubility in various solvents, oil permeability coefficient, Water Permeability (WP), and mechanical strength indicate its suitability for packaging. Additionally, its biodegradability (soil burial method) demonstrates its environmental compatibility and commercial value.

Biobased sustainable materials can help reduce global plastic pollution and its negative impact. There Biodegradable nature will provide new prospects for the development of next-generation sustainable food packaging by replacing present one-time-use food packaging containers and films with a lower carbon footprint and plastic waste. However, there are still obstacles to overcome before biobased packaging can totally replace petroleum-derived packaging. As natural materials and bioplastics become more widely available, they are expected to gain popularity in sustainable packaging. Advancements in package recycling, inventive new materials, and design for implementing sustainable certifications, both new and current, can increase market adoption. Choosing materials from a circular bioeconomy perspective can lead to breakthroughs in sustainable packaging across the entire process.

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