{"title":"Starch-based biocomposite films and coatings in paper-based food packaging: a review","authors":"Afreen Sultana","doi":"10.1007/s10311-025-01862-3","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p>Many fossil fuel-derived plastic polymers are causing environmental pollution by microplastics, and are accelerating global warming because they are carbon positive, calling urgently for alternatives such as biopolymers made from modern biomass. Here, I review starch-based biocomposites with emphasis on natural components, applications for paper coating, challenges, and manufacturing. Natural components include polysaccharides, proteins, clay, and metals. Challenges comprise biodegradability, production cost, printing and labeling, policies, the lack of homogeneity and of life cycle assessment, and mismatched expectations of academia and industry. In particular, starch-based packaging has drawbacks that make it unsuitable for food packaging, including poor thermal resistance, barrier properties, and mechanical properties. I observe that the ratio of amylose and amylopectin impacts the barrier and mechanical properties of starch-based films.</p>","PeriodicalId":541,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Chemistry Letters","volume":"64 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":20.4000,"publicationDate":"2025-09-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Environmental Chemistry Letters","FirstCategoryId":"93","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s10311-025-01862-3","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"CHEMISTRY, MULTIDISCIPLINARY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Many fossil fuel-derived plastic polymers are causing environmental pollution by microplastics, and are accelerating global warming because they are carbon positive, calling urgently for alternatives such as biopolymers made from modern biomass. Here, I review starch-based biocomposites with emphasis on natural components, applications for paper coating, challenges, and manufacturing. Natural components include polysaccharides, proteins, clay, and metals. Challenges comprise biodegradability, production cost, printing and labeling, policies, the lack of homogeneity and of life cycle assessment, and mismatched expectations of academia and industry. In particular, starch-based packaging has drawbacks that make it unsuitable for food packaging, including poor thermal resistance, barrier properties, and mechanical properties. I observe that the ratio of amylose and amylopectin impacts the barrier and mechanical properties of starch-based films.
期刊介绍：
Environmental Chemistry Letters explores the intersections of geology, chemistry, physics, and biology. Published articles are of paramount importance to the examination of both natural and engineered environments. The journal features original and review articles of exceptional significance, encompassing topics such as the characterization of natural and impacted environments, the behavior, prevention, treatment, and control of mineral, organic, and radioactive pollutants. It also delves into interfacial studies involving diverse media like soil, sediment, water, air, organisms, and food. Additionally, the journal covers green chemistry, environmentally friendly synthetic pathways, alternative fuels, ecotoxicology, risk assessment, environmental processes and modeling, environmental technologies, remediation and control, and environmental analytical chemistry using biomolecular tools and tracers.
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