Antimicrobial Biodegradable Food Packaging Based on Chitosan and Metal/Metal-Oxide Bio-Nanocomposites: A Review

Abstract

Finding a practical alternative to decrease the use of conventional polymers in the plastic industry has become an acute concern since industrially-produced plastic waste, mainly conventional food packaging, has become an environmental crisis worldwide. Biodegradable polymers have attracted the attention of researchers as a possible alternative for fossil-based plastics. Chitosan-based packaging materials, in particular, have become a recent focus for the biodegradable food packaging sector due to their biodegradability, non-toxic nature, and antimicrobial properties. Chitosan, obtained from chitin, is the most abundant biopolymer in nature after cellulose. Chitosan is an ideal biomaterial for active packaging as it can be fabricated alone or combined with other polymers as well as metallic antimicrobial particles, either as layers or as coacervates for examination as functional components of active packaging systems. Chitosan-metal/metal oxide bio-nanocomposites have seen growing interest as antimicrobial packaging materials, with several different mechanisms of inhibition speculated to include direct physical interactions or chemical reactions (i.e., the production of reactive oxygen species as well as the increased dissolution of toxic metal cations). The use of chitosan and its metal/metal oxide (i.e., titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, and silver nanoparticles) bio-nanocomposites in packaging applications are the primary focus of discussion in this review.

Comparison of Protein Content, Availability, and Different Properties of Plant Protein Sources with Their Application in Packaging

“…Covering foods with edible films substitutes synthetic packaging, satisfactorily prevents moisture and flavor loss, controls the exchange of gases, increases the shelf life, and transits active substances like antioxidants [40], and has antimicrobial [40], antifungal [41], and other applications [27]. The application of corn zein coatings on tomatoes proved to delay color change, reduce firmness, and lose weight during storage [42].…”

Recent Advances in Functional Polymer Materials for Energy, Water, and Biomedical Applications: A Review

“…Polymeric membrane technologies that have been explored in the treatment and desalination of water are continuously developed and widely studied, with the aim of meeting the global challenges of water security and supply. The relevant polymer-based membranes have today become one of the most interesting materials, exploited in many fields such as water treatment, water desalination, and food processing [268][269][270]. The global membrane filtration market size is expected to reach USD 24.4 billion by 2026 [271].…”

Recent Advances in Chitin and Chitosan/Graphene-Based Bio-Nanocomposites for Energetic Applications

“…Over the past few years, chitin-and chitosan-derived nanocomposites have shown a tendency towards a wide range of applications. Recently, chitin-and chitosan-based nanomaterials and their remarkable role as dye adsorbents [22], drug delivery vehicles to combat COVID-19 [23], food packaging [24], membranes [25], wound dressings [26] and for biomedical and environmental applications [27,28] have been presented.…”