Biopolymer Packaging Materials for Food Shelf-Life Prolongation

Abstract

© 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. In order to increase sustainability in the food industry, while maintaining product quality, the use of biopolymer packaging materials presents an attractive, ecofriendly alternative to synthetic polymers due to availability, low cost, and renewable raw materials and agroindustrial waste (biomass) usage. Materials used for biopolymer preparation are polysaccharides, proteins, or lipids, based on the compositional units. In order to improve biopolymer material properties, they can be laminated or formed as composites. In addition, biopolymer materials can be edible and/or active with strong antioxidant and/or antimicrobial properties.Numerous studies have been conducted with the aim of widening successful implementation of biopolymer packaging for a range of food products. It is very important to be familiar with properties of biopolymer packaging materials prior to application, as well as to produce biobased materials in terms of specificity of the product intended to be packed. The aim of this chapter is to review the possibility of biopolymer packaging material application for packing dairy, meat, fruits, and vegetable products.