Advances in Eco-friendly Materials for Sustainable Packaging and Single-Use Utensils: A Decade of Innovation in Preparation, Characterization, and Applications

Abstract

The demand for sustainable alternatives to synthetic plastics increases, driving research on developing eco-friendly packaging and single-use utensils. Unlike previous reviews, this work provides a critical synthesis of technological trends, identifying gaps that need to be filled and highlighting innovations that are reshaping the field, considering the scientific studies in the past decade. For this, we analyzed 5,744 articles published between 2013 and 2024, selected from 26,080 records retrieved in the Scopus database, through a scoping review aligned with the PRISMA-ScR checklist. Our findings reveal that research has been largely concentrated on films (over 90%), underscoring the need to develop other material types such as foams, cups, straws, and trays. Starch, cellulose, and poly(lactic acid) were the main raw materials with glycerol as the predominant plasticizer. Cross-linkers, fillers, and nanomaterials were incorporated to enhance mechanical, barrier, and functional properties─even though some of them are not biobased nor sustainable. Vegetable extracts and essential oils were used to impart active properties. Evaluations of biodegradability or disintegration, antimicrobial activity, and food preservation applications increased significantly between 2019–2024 compared to 2013–2018, demonstrating a shift toward multifunctional, application-oriented solutions and a growing demand for bioactive packaging. Overall, this review contributes by providing a comprehensive landscape of the field, highlighting the transition toward multifunctional, biodegradable, and innovative packages and utensils while emphasizing the challenges that must be overcome for broader industrial application.