Biodegradable Composites for Commodities Packaging Applications and Toxicity

Abstract

The rapid growth of composite materials from biosources, recycled materials, waste resources and their combinations is of current interest. Greener biocomposites from plant-derived and crop-derived bio-based content are constantly being industrialized. Biodegradable composites have shown potential uses in sustainable packaging. Biodegradable polymers can potentially be combined with plant fibres to produce biodegradable composite materials. Fresh-cut fruits and vegetables are highly perishable commodities. Thus, packaging forms an important means to preserve the shelf life of packed fresh-cut agricultural produce. Conventionally, petroleum-based films are used for fresh fruits and vegetables packing. Although they are non-biodegradable and derivable from non-renewable resources, they impose serious ecological problems. To overcome these environmental issues, green chemistry has been focussed on obtaining renewable and biodegradable films from biopolymers. Extensively deliberated biopolymers for film preparation are basically derived from biomass (gelatin, starch, cellulose, etc.), microbes (polyhydroxyalkanoates) and bio-derived monomers (polylactic acid). The major drawbacks of these films are poor mechanical and barrier properties as compared to their conventional counterparts. Another aspect that is less explored is the compatibility of these biopolymer composites. Our review focusses on the different natural biocomposites and their toxicity profile for packaging food commodities.