Starch-based polymer composites for sustainable food packaging: Advances in bioplastic development

The growing environmental concerns associated with petrochemical‐based plastics, including their persistence, contribution to climate change, and adverse effects on ecosystems and human health, have accelerated the search for sustainable alternatives. Starch‐based bioplastics have emerged as a promi...

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Main Authors: Raghunathan, Rakesh, Jeevarathinam, G., Vadukkumchery Prasannan, Mayookha, Rustagi, Sarvesh, Asdaq, Syed Mohammed Basheeruddin
Format: Journal Article
Language:Inglés
Published: Wiley 2025
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/176719
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author Raghunathan, Rakesh
Jeevarathinam, G.
Vadukkumchery Prasannan, Mayookha
Rustagi, Sarvesh
Asdaq, Syed Mohammed Basheeruddin
author_browse Asdaq, Syed Mohammed Basheeruddin
Jeevarathinam, G.
Raghunathan, Rakesh
Rustagi, Sarvesh
Vadukkumchery Prasannan, Mayookha
author_facet Raghunathan, Rakesh
Jeevarathinam, G.
Vadukkumchery Prasannan, Mayookha
Rustagi, Sarvesh
Asdaq, Syed Mohammed Basheeruddin
author_sort Raghunathan, Rakesh
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description The growing environmental concerns associated with petrochemical‐based plastics, including their persistence, contribution to climate change, and adverse effects on ecosystems and human health, have accelerated the search for sustainable alternatives. Starch‐based bioplastics have emerged as a promising solution due to their biodegradability, renewability, and compatibility with existing food packaging technologies. This review comprehensively examines production mechanisms of starch‐based bioplastics, focusing on their formulation, structural modifications, and industrial applications. The role of plasticizers in improving flexibility and reducing brittleness is discussed. Their natural decomposition into environmentally benign byproducts supports a circular economy and aligns with global sustainability goals. However, the downside of using bioplastic is that the raw material used for its fabrication is also used for sustenance, and so a trade‐off between growing feedstock crops and food production is inevitable. The higher manufacturing costs of bioplastics as compared to conventional plastics are also a limiting factor. Hence, bioplastics do not completely serve as a long‐term panacea for problems associated with plastic pollution. This review therefore attempts to (i) enumerate the benefits of starch in food packaging, (ii) delineate the physical and chemical treatments that enhance hydrophobicity, mechanical strength, and thermal stability, (iii) suggest the proper disposal procedures to ward off health issues and to conserve the environment, and (iv) advocate the implementation of stringent recycling measures and emphasize on the policies and legislation for green transition. Future research should focus on optimizing polymer blends, reinforcing compatibility with synthetic and natural polymers, and advancing manufacturing techniques to enable widespread adoption in food packaging applications.
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spelling CGSpace1767192025-10-26T13:02:56Z Starch-based polymer composites for sustainable food packaging: Advances in bioplastic development Raghunathan, Rakesh Jeevarathinam, G. Vadukkumchery Prasannan, Mayookha Rustagi, Sarvesh Asdaq, Syed Mohammed Basheeruddin starch bioplastics polymers raw materials feedstocks circular economy sustainability climate change environmental impact waste disposal recycling food packaging policies green economy The growing environmental concerns associated with petrochemical‐based plastics, including their persistence, contribution to climate change, and adverse effects on ecosystems and human health, have accelerated the search for sustainable alternatives. Starch‐based bioplastics have emerged as a promising solution due to their biodegradability, renewability, and compatibility with existing food packaging technologies. This review comprehensively examines production mechanisms of starch‐based bioplastics, focusing on their formulation, structural modifications, and industrial applications. The role of plasticizers in improving flexibility and reducing brittleness is discussed. Their natural decomposition into environmentally benign byproducts supports a circular economy and aligns with global sustainability goals. However, the downside of using bioplastic is that the raw material used for its fabrication is also used for sustenance, and so a trade‐off between growing feedstock crops and food production is inevitable. The higher manufacturing costs of bioplastics as compared to conventional plastics are also a limiting factor. Hence, bioplastics do not completely serve as a long‐term panacea for problems associated with plastic pollution. This review therefore attempts to (i) enumerate the benefits of starch in food packaging, (ii) delineate the physical and chemical treatments that enhance hydrophobicity, mechanical strength, and thermal stability, (iii) suggest the proper disposal procedures to ward off health issues and to conserve the environment, and (iv) advocate the implementation of stringent recycling measures and emphasize on the policies and legislation for green transition. Future research should focus on optimizing polymer blends, reinforcing compatibility with synthetic and natural polymers, and advancing manufacturing techniques to enable widespread adoption in food packaging applications. 2025-09 2025-09-30T08:33:36Z 2025-09-30T08:33:36Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/176719 en Limited Access Wiley Raghunathan, Rakesh, G. Jeevarathinam, Mayookha Vadukkumchery Prasannan, Sarvesh Rustagi, and Syed Mohammed Basheeruddin Asdaq. "Starch‐Based Polymer Composites for Sustainable Food Packaging: Advances in Bioplastic Development." Starch‐Stärke (2025): e70092.
spellingShingle starch
bioplastics
polymers
raw materials
feedstocks
circular economy
sustainability
climate change
environmental impact
waste disposal
recycling
food packaging
policies
green economy
Raghunathan, Rakesh
Jeevarathinam, G.
Vadukkumchery Prasannan, Mayookha
Rustagi, Sarvesh
Asdaq, Syed Mohammed Basheeruddin
Starch-based polymer composites for sustainable food packaging: Advances in bioplastic development
title Starch-based polymer composites for sustainable food packaging: Advances in bioplastic development
title_full Starch-based polymer composites for sustainable food packaging: Advances in bioplastic development
title_fullStr Starch-based polymer composites for sustainable food packaging: Advances in bioplastic development
title_full_unstemmed Starch-based polymer composites for sustainable food packaging: Advances in bioplastic development
title_short Starch-based polymer composites for sustainable food packaging: Advances in bioplastic development
title_sort starch based polymer composites for sustainable food packaging advances in bioplastic development
topic starch
bioplastics
polymers
raw materials
feedstocks
circular economy
sustainability
climate change
environmental impact
waste disposal
recycling
food packaging
policies
green economy
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/176719
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AT vadukkumcheryprasannanmayookha starchbasedpolymercompositesforsustainablefoodpackagingadvancesinbioplasticdevelopment
AT rustagisarvesh starchbasedpolymercompositesforsustainablefoodpackagingadvancesinbioplasticdevelopment
AT asdaqsyedmohammedbasheeruddin starchbasedpolymercompositesforsustainablefoodpackagingadvancesinbioplasticdevelopment