Biopolymers for a Sustainable Food System: Sources, Applications, and Environmental Impacts

The use of synthetic polymers in the food industry poses significant risk of contamination, global plastic waste, and pollution. In contrast, biopolymers offer a potential solution for a sustainable future. Derived from natural resources, biopolymers are biodegradable and compostable and do not leach hazardous chemicals into food, which make them ideal for various applications in the food industry, owing to the non-leaching of hazardous chemicals into the food. Here, an overview of the potential of biopolymers to replace synthetic plastic in food is discussed. The degradation of biopolymers and their environmental impact, the formation of biopolymer films, the utilization of different biopolymers for sustainable solutions to synthetic polymers, and their advantages are thoroughly presented. This review is expected to guide food industry stakeholders in seeking biopolymers as sustainable and eco-friendly alternatives to synthetic polymers.