Recent progress on biopolymer-based food packaging films/edible coatings functionalized with catechol derivatives based on mussel biomimetics

Abstract

In recent years, due to the environmental issues caused by non-biodegradability and the food safety hazards posed by microplastics, a great deal of research has been conducted to develop sustainable alternatives to synthetic plastic packaging. Biodegradable or edible packaging films based on biopolymers have attracted considerable attention due to their sustainability. However, the comprehensive properties of current biopolymer films, such as mechanical strength and barrier performance, are still inferior to those of petroleum-based plastic films. Therefore, efforts have been devoted to improving the performance of biopolymer films. Nature-inspired bionics, especially mussel-inspired bionics, has become increasingly important in materials science and has been widely applied in biomedicine and environmental engineering. Recently, functionalization using mussel-inspired catechol derivatives like dopamine and tannic acid (TA) has emerged to improve mechanical, barrier, and functional properties of biopolymer packaging films and edible coatings. This study overviews biopolymer packaging development, focusing on mussel biomimicry mechanisms. Notable applications of dopamine, TA, and other catechol derivatives in creating innovative biopolymer packaging materials are described to advance research in this field. The key finding of this work is that mussel-inspired catechol derivatives can be integrated into packaging films through a variety of methods, leveraging their ability to participate in multiple physical and chemical interactions. The resulting composite films exhibit various functionalities, including strong interfacial adhesion, photothermal effects, UV absorption, and free radical scavenging. These properties enable them to serve multiple roles in packaging matrices. Edible coatings based on mussel-inspired strategies enhance adhesion and improve interfacial interactions between the coating solution and the food surface, thereby improving the preservation effect of edible coatings. Therefore, mussel-inspired functionalization of catechol derivatives is an effective strategy to enhance the performance of food packaging films and coatings.