Hydrophobic Biopolymer-Based Films: Strategies, Properties, and Food Applications

Food packaging materials are crucial to maintaining food quality, as they play an important role in preventing food deterioration, dehydration, and oxidation. Unlike synthetic polymers, natural biopolymers, such as polysaccharides and proteins, are abundant and widespread resources that are nontoxic, biocompatible, and biodegradable. In food packaging, contact between packaging materials and moist foods can frequently degrade the performance of the materials. This has increased research into the development of hydrophobic biopolymer-based films. Here, we summarize the effective preparation strategies, mechanical and barrier properties, pH responsiveness, self-cleaning performance, and antibacterial and antioxidant functions of hydrophobic biopolymer-based films. The most effective methods for preparing hydrophobic biopolymer-based films are electrospinning with hydrophobically modified biopolymers, adding micro/nanofillers and hydrophobic compounds to the films, and hydrophobically modifying the films. These methods can even generate superhydrophobic films with excellent barrier properties. We also discuss the current opportunities and challenges presented by hydrophobic biopolymer-based films.