Antiviral Biodegradable Food Packaging and Edible Coating Materials in the COVID-19 Era: A Mini-Review

Abstract

With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in late 2019, and the catastrophe faced by the world in 2020, the food industry was one of the most affected industries. On the one hand, the pandemic-induced fear and lockdown in several countries increased the online delivery of food products, resulting in a drastic increase in single-use plastic packaging waste. On the other hand, several reports revealed the spread of the viral infection through food products and packaging. This significantly affected consumer behavior, which directly influenced the market dynamics of the food industry. Still, a complete recovery from this situation seems a while away, and there is a need to focus on a potential solution that can address both of these issues. Several biomaterials that possess antiviral activities, in addition to being natural and biodegradable, are being studied for food packaging applications. However, the research community has been ignorant of this aspect, as the focus has mainly been on antibacterial and antifungal activities for the enhancement of food shelf life. This review aims to cover the different perspectives of antiviral food packaging materials using established technology. It focuses on the basic principles of antiviral activity and its mechanisms. Furthermore, the antiviral activities of several nanomaterials, biopolymers, natural oils and extracts, polyphenolic compounds, etc., are discussed.

Overview of Food Antimicrobial Packaging

“…CoV virion is classified as a very pathogenic virus [94]. SARS-CoV-2 is the third virus in the coronavirus family that has globally caused serious ailments in humans [95]. The virus particles are transmitted through human-to-human contact or contact with infected individuals mediated through the eyes, mouth, nose, or through the inhalation of exhaled virus in respiratory droplets [94].…”

“…However, adding antiviral materials as a layer containing antiviral agents to a coating carrier or incorporating them into a matrix of active films is a strategic route to develop antiviral packaging systems. Multilayered packaging systems are being developed through coextrusion, lamination, or covering with coatings [95]. This safe packaging should have an internal coating or extruded film layer to protect food products and an external coating or extruded film layer with antiviral compounds to protect customers (Figure 2) [94][95][96][97][98].…”

“…Multilayered packaging systems are being developed through coextrusion, lamination, or covering with coatings [95]. This safe packaging should have an internal coating or extruded film layer to protect food products and an external coating or extruded film layer with antiviral compounds to protect customers (Figure 2) [94][95][96][97][98]. Additionally, this packaging-coated material or material containing antiviral substance should be active during storage, meaning it should offer sufficient resistance against UV aging or be shielded against ultraviolet light through the shielding properties of additives [94,[96][97][98].…”

Antibacterial, Antifungal and Antiviral Polymeric Food Packaging in Post-COVID-19 Era

“…The long stability of SARS-CoV-2 on the surfaces of packaging materials created substantial risks during handling production until consumption. Cross-contamination hazards from infected food handlers are also one of the major routes of transmission of the virus via food [ 129 ]. Recent research has confirmed that coronavirus remains infectious on surfaces including glass (5 days), cardboard (8 h), silicon (5 days), PVC and Teflon (5 days), plastic (polypropylene) (2–3 days) and other plastics (72 h to 6 days) at room temperature [ 130 , 131 ].…”

3D-Printed Pectin/Carboxymethyl Cellulose/ZnO Bio-Inks: Comparative Analysis with the Solution Casting Method

“…Several biopolymers, such as proteins, polysaccharides, lipids, and their mixtures, have been investigated in this regard [ 1 ]. In addition to being environmentally friendly, biopolymers have enormous promise for delivering functional ingredients and regulating their release, opening the door to the fabrication of active packaging [ 2 ]. Additionally, biopolymers are crucial for various advanced applications such as biomedical engineering due to their controlled-release property, non-toxicity, hydrophilicity, biocompatibility, and biodegradability [ 3 ].…”