Kasle Pritam, Bains Aarti, Goksen Gulden, Dhull Sanju Bala, Ali Nemat, Nagarik Rupak, Fareed Mohammad, Chawla Prince
Department of Food Technology and Nutrition, Lovely Professional University, Phagwara, India.
Department of Microbiology, Lovely Professional University, Phagwara, India.
Compr Rev Food Sci Food Saf. 2025 Jul;24(4):e70215. doi: 10.1111/1541-4337.70215.
Carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) is a leading hydrocolloid for biodegradable packaging films and edible coatings due to its film-forming ability, biodegradability, and nontoxicity. However, its application is limited by moisture sensitivity, poor mechanical strength, flammability, and inadequate gas barrier properties. This review explores the formulation, structural properties, and practical applications of CMC when blended with other polymeric compounds such as cellulose, starch, alginate, chitosan, and polylactic acid to overcome these limitations. Blending enhances tensile strength, water resistance, and antimicrobial functionality, extends food shelf life, and reduces reliance on synthetic plastics. Nanocomposite techniques and bioactive molecule incorporation further improve film performance. Innovative processing methods, including electrospinning and three-dimensional printing, offer new opportunities for structural enhancement. This literature review aims to assess key challenges, including material compatibility, processing efficiency, scalability, and environmental sustainability. CMC-based films, especially in composite formulations, show significant promise in advancing sustainable food packaging. However, for widespread industrial adoption, optimized formulations and ecoefficient production techniques are essential.
羧甲基纤维素（CMC）因其成膜能力、生物降解性和无毒特性，是用于可生物降解包装薄膜和可食用涂层的主要水胶体。然而，其应用受到湿度敏感性、机械强度差、易燃性和气体阻隔性能不足的限制。本综述探讨了CMC与纤维素、淀粉、藻酸盐、壳聚糖和聚乳酸等其他聚合物化合物共混时的配方、结构特性和实际应用，以克服这些限制。共混可提高拉伸强度、耐水性和抗菌功能，延长食品保质期，并减少对合成塑料的依赖。纳米复合技术和生物活性分子的加入进一步改善了薄膜性能。包括静电纺丝和三维打印在内的创新加工方法为结构增强提供了新机会。这篇文献综述旨在评估关键挑战，包括材料相容性、加工效率、可扩展性和环境可持续性。基于CMC的薄膜，尤其是复合配方中的薄膜，在推进可持续食品包装方面显示出巨大潜力。然而，要在工业上广泛应用，优化配方和生态高效的生产技术至关重要。
