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The environmental problems arising from the excessive use of petroleum-based
polymers have led to the improvements in biobased plastics to reduce the energy
consumption and greenhouse gas emissions in certain applications, such as food
packaging. However, most biobased polymers have no compatible properties (water
resistance, thermal, mechanical and barrier properties, etc.) compared to the petroleum-based polymers. Due to poor chemical and physical stability, low mechanical
properties, poor crystallization kinetics and processing complexity may limit their
use on a commercial scale. The nanocomposites are a new class of materials with
improved performance properties, therefore, the addition of nano-fillers such as
nanoclays, nanocellulose, carbon nanotubes, among others help overcome these
inconveniences and modify the biopolymers in a better form with improved functionalities. Biobased biopolymers such as starch, cellulose, corn-derived plastics,
whey proteins, gelatin, etc. have been widely studied to fabricate nanocomposites
for potential use in food packaging applications. For example, the improvements in
barrier properties of biobased polymers against water vapor, aroma compounds, as
well as other gases (oxygen, carbon dioxide, etc.) have the potential to extend the
shelf life of various food products. In addition, the use of biopolymers instead of
petroleum-based polymers will help reduce both the packaging waste leading serious environmental problems and food waste by increasing shelf life. On the other
hand, some nano-fillers such as nanoclays, Ag NPs, Ag-zeolite, metal oxides and
functional biopolymers such as Cs provide antimicrobial or antioxidant activity,
enzyme immobilization and self-sterilizing properties. Further improvements are
also needed for biobased nanocomposites to develop an optimal formulation and
comply with regulations that refer to the migration of nanomaterials from packaging to food matrix, as well as the reduction of the costs of the biobased
nanocomposites.
Conflicts of Interest The authors declare no conflict of interest.
References
Abdollahi, M., Alboofetileh, M., Rezaei, M., & Behrooz, R. (2013). Comparing physicomechanical and thermal properties of alginate nanocomposite films reinforced with organic
and/or inorganic nanofillers. Food Hydrocolloids, 32(2), 416–424. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.
foodhyd.2013.02.006.
Abdul Khalil, H. P. S., Bhat, A. H., & Ireana Yusra, A. F. (2012). Green composites from sustainable cellulose nanofibrils: A review. Carbohydrate Polymers, 87(2), 963–979. https://doi.
org/10.1016/j.carbpol.2011.08.078.
Abugoch, L., Tapia, C., Plasencia, D., Pastor, A., Castro-Mandujano, O., López, L., & Escalona,
V. H. (2016). Shelf-life of fresh blueberries coated with quinoa protein/chitosan/sunflower
oil edible film. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, 96(2), 619–626. https://doi.
org/10.1002/jsfa.7132.
Adame, D., & Beall, G. W. (2009). Direct measurement of the constrained polymer region in
polyamide/clay nanocomposites and the implications for gas diffusion. Applied Clay Science,
42(3–4), 545–552. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clay.2008.03.005.
H. Cakmak and E. Sogut
The environmental problems arising from the excessive use of petroleum-based
polymers have led to the improvements in biobased plastics to reduce the energy
consumption and greenhouse gas emissions in certain applications, such as food
packaging. However, most biobased polymers have no compatible properties (water
resistance, thermal, mechanical and barrier properties, etc.) compared to the petroleum-based polymers. Due to poor chemical and physical stability, low mechanical
properties, poor crystallization kinetics and processing complexity may limit their
use on a commercial scale. The nanocomposites are a new class of materials with
improved performance properties, therefore, the addition of nano-fillers such as
nanoclays, nanocellulose, carbon nanotubes, among others help overcome these
inconveniences and modify the biopolymers in a better form with improved functionalities. Biobased biopolymers such as starch, cellulose, corn-derived plastics,
whey proteins, gelatin, etc. have been widely studied to fabricate nanocomposites
for potential use in food packaging applications. For example, the improvements in
barrier properties of biobased polymers against water vapor, aroma compounds, as
well as other gases (oxygen, carbon dioxide, etc.) have the potential to extend the
shelf life of various food products. In addition, the use of biopolymers instead of
petroleum-based polymers will help reduce both the packaging waste leading serious environmental problems and food waste by increasing shelf life. On the other
hand, some nano-fillers such as nanoclays, Ag NPs, Ag-zeolite, metal oxides and
functional biopolymers such as Cs provide antimicrobial or antioxidant activity,
enzyme immobilization and self-sterilizing properties. Further improvements are
also needed for biobased nanocomposites to develop an optimal formulation and
comply with regulations that refer to the migration of nanomaterials from packaging to food matrix, as well as the reduction of the costs of the biobased
nanocomposites.
Conflicts of Interest The authors declare no conflict of interest.
References
Abdollahi, M., Alboofetileh, M., Rezaei, M., & Behrooz, R. (2013). Comparing physicomechanical and thermal properties of alginate nanocomposite films reinforced with organic
and/or inorganic nanofillers. Food Hydrocolloids, 32(2), 416–424. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.
foodhyd.2013.02.006.
Abdul Khalil, H. P. S., Bhat, A. H., & Ireana Yusra, A. F. (2012). Green composites from sustainable cellulose nanofibrils: A review. Carbohydrate Polymers, 87(2), 963–979. https://doi.
org/10.1016/j.carbpol.2011.08.078.
Abugoch, L., Tapia, C., Plasencia, D., Pastor, A., Castro-Mandujano, O., López, L., & Escalona,
V. H. (2016). Shelf-life of fresh blueberries coated with quinoa protein/chitosan/sunflower
oil edible film. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, 96(2), 619–626. https://doi.
org/10.1002/jsfa.7132.
Adame, D., & Beall, G. W. (2009). Direct measurement of the constrained polymer region in
polyamide/clay nanocomposites and the implications for gas diffusion. Applied Clay Science,
42(3–4), 545–552. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clay.2008.03.005.
H. Cakmak and E. Sogut