Recent trends in nanocomposite packaging films utilising waste generated biopolymers: Industrial symbiosis and its implication in sustainability

Abstract

Uncontrolled waste generation and management difficulties are causing chaos in the ecosystem. Although it is vital to ease environmental pressures, right now there is no such practical strategy available for the treatment or utilisation of waste material. Because the Earth's resources are limited, a long‐term, sustainable, and sensible solution is necessary. Currently waste material has drawn a lot of attention as a renewable resource. Utilisation of residual biomass leftovers appears as a green and sustainable approach to lessen the waste burden on Earth while meeting the demand for bio‐based goods. Several biopolymers are available from renewable waste sources that have the potential to be used in a variety of industries for a wide range of applications. Natural and synthetic biopolymers have significant advantages over petroleum‐based polymers in terms of cost‐effectiveness, environmental friendliness, and user‐friendliness. Using waste as a raw material through industrial symbiosis should be taken into account as one of the strategies to achieve more economic and environmental value through inter‐firm collaboration on the path to a near‐zero waste society. This review extensively explores the different biopolymers which can be extracted from several waste material sources and that further have potential applications in food packaging industries to enhance the shelf life of perishables. This review‐based study also provides key insights into the different strategies and techniques that have been developed recently to extract biopolymers from different waste byproducts and their feasibility in practical applications for the food packaging business.

ZnO Nanoparticles-Reinforced Chitosan–Xanthan Gum Blend Novel Film with Enhanced Properties and Degradability for Application in Food Packaging

“…Fossil-based polymer packages have become an essential component of modern life due to their wide range of desired qualities and ease of manufacture. However, this straightforward manufacturing and applicability also leads to the generation of one of the most nonsustainable types of waste because it is nondegradable in nature, typically designed for single use, and is extremely difficult to sort and recycle . A major amount of plastic trash is improperly disposed of due to inadequate or nonexistent plastic waste management systems .…”

“…Several countries are imposing bans on the production, import, storage, distribution, sale, and use of single-use plastic for the increasing difficulty to dispose of this waste as well as due to their adverse impacts on the environment and public health caused by contaminating land and water resources and even entering the food chain. This has led to an increased need to solve this global concern by finding an environmentally acceptable alternative material for packaging that is affordable, convenient, and eco-friendly. , Biobased polymers are physically and functionally comparable to petroleum-based polymers; they are also less expensive, biodegradable, and abundantly available from renewable resources . However, as compared to traditional plastic packaging, biopolymers derived from plants, animals, and microorganisms have slightly inferior physiochemical and mechanical properties .…”

“…Chitosan is one such biopolymer with natural film-forming ability, nontoxic property, inherent antimicrobial activity, abundant availability, and biodegradability. , It is a linear cationic heteropolysaccharide biopolymer (C 56 H 103 N 9 O 39 ) containing deacetylated β-(1–4) d -glucosamine and acetylated N -acetyl- d -glucosamine, derived from the deacetylation of chitin, a major byproduct of the shellfish industry, present in the exoskeletons of crabs, shrimps, and other crustaceans. , Commercially manufactured chitosan typically has a molecular weight that ranges from 3800 to 20,000 Da on average. As a byproduct of the seafood business, it provides an inexpensive approach to being used as raw material in the food packaging sector by supporting industrial symbiosis . Along with its so many advantages, chitosan also possesses some inherent limitations that include lower mechanical strength and hydrophilicity. , According to research, there is a good probability that the addition of nanofillers or other biopolymers can improve the material’s qualities and applications.…”

Bactericidal and Antioxidant Potential ofMoringa oleiferaCapped Silver Nanoparticles under Varied Conditions

“…Plants and biopolymers provide a vast array of therapeutic compounds, drug delivery systems, and materials that contribute to drug development, wound healing, regenerative medicine, and diagnostics [10] . Biopolymers such as Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA), Chitosan, Gelatin, Zein, and Polycaprolactone (PCL) exhibit high biocompatibility, biodegradability, accessibility, stability, lack of toxicity, and low cost [11,12] . Despite these benefits, biopolymers have limited in vitro and in vivo stability, weak mechanical characteristics, and disintegrate quickly [13] .…”

“…[10] Biopolymers such as Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA), Chitosan, Gelatin, Zein, and Polycaprolactone (PCL) exhibit high biocompatibility, biodegradability, accessibility, stability, lack of toxicity, and low cost. [11,12] Despite these benefits, biopolymers have limited in vitro and in vivo stability, weak mechanical characteristics, and disintegrate quickly. [13] Gelatin has low thermal stability and can undergo significant changes in its physical properties when exposed to high temperatures or moisture.…”