Selvam Thivya, Rahman Nor Mas Mira Abd, Olivito Fabrizio, Ilham Zul, Ahmad Rahayu, Wan-Mohtar Wan Abd Al Qadr Imad
Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia.
Department of Environmental Engineering, University of Calabria, Via P. Bucci, 87036 Arcavacata di Rende, CS, Italy.
Polymers (Basel). 2025 Jul 9;17(14):1897. doi: 10.3390/polym17141897.
The widespread use of conventional plastic in food packaging has raised serious environmental issues due to its persistence and poor biodegradability. With growing concerns over plastic pollution and its long-term ecological impact, researchers are increasingly turning to natural, renewable sources for sustainable alternatives. Agricultural waste, often discarded in large quantities, offers a valuable resource for producing biodegradable polymers. This review discusses the environmental burden caused by traditional plastics and explores how agricultural residues such as rice husks, corn cobs, and fruit peels can be converted into eco-friendly packaging materials. Various types of biopolymers sourced from agricultural waste, including cellulose, starch, plant and animal-based proteins, polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA), and polylactic acid (PLA), are examined for their properties, benefits, and limitations in food packaging applications. Each material presents unique characteristics in terms of biodegradability, mechanical strength, and barrier performance. While significant progress has been made, several challenges remain, including cost-effective production, material performance, and compliance with food safety regulations. Looking ahead, innovations in material processing, waste management integration, and biopolymer formulation could pave the way for widespread adoption. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of current developments and future directions in the use of agricultural waste for sustainable packaging solutions, comparing their biodegradability and performance to conventional plastics.
传统塑料在食品包装中的广泛使用因其持久性和生物降解性差而引发了严重的环境问题。随着对塑料污染及其长期生态影响的日益关注，研究人员越来越多地转向天然、可再生资源以寻求可持续的替代品。通常被大量丢弃的农业废弃物为生产可生物降解聚合物提供了宝贵资源。本文综述讨论了传统塑料造成的环境负担，并探讨了稻壳、玉米芯和果皮等农业残余物如何转化为环保包装材料。研究了源自农业废弃物的各种类型的生物聚合物，包括纤维素、淀粉、植物和动物蛋白、聚羟基脂肪酸酯（PHA）和聚乳酸（PLA）在食品包装应用中的性能、优点和局限性。每种材料在生物降解性、机械强度和阻隔性能方面都具有独特的特性。虽然已经取得了重大进展，但仍存在一些挑战，包括具有成本效益的生产、材料性能以及符合食品安全法规等。展望未来，材料加工、废物管理整合和生物聚合物配方方面的创新可能为广泛采用铺平道路。本文综述旨在全面概述利用农业废弃物实现可持续包装解决方案的当前发展情况和未来方向，将它们的生物降解性和性能与传统塑料进行比较。
