Lignocellulosic fiber-reinforced starch thermoplastic composites for food packaging application: A review of properties and food packaging abetted with safety aspects

Abstract

Starch-based materials exhibit significant promise as environmentally friendly food packaging alternatives, with the inherent advantage of being biodegradable. This bioderived polymer stands out as a fascinating alternative owing to its remarkably low cost, positioning itself as a promising substitute for non-renewable polymers. The interaction between the fiber and matrix is crucial in shaping the properties of bioplastics. Recognizing the constraints of using starch as the sole polymer matrix for food packaging, attention has shifted towards incorporating lignocellulosic fibers in bioplastics. The fabrication of lignocellulosic fiber-reinforced starch-based bioplastics has yielded varying degrees of success, highlighting ongoing efforts to optimize these materials. The incorporation of lignocellulosic fibers confirms there is improvement in various properties of bioplastic. In this review, the characterization and extraction of lignocellulosic fibers are covered. Then, we generalize the developments and properties of starch-based biopolymers. As for starch-based films reinforced with lignocellulosic fibers, we place importance on the thermal, barrier and biodegradation properties of bioplastics and their compatibility with the lignocellulosic fiber–matrix. The utilization of lignocellulosic fibers containing starch in bioplastics is examined. The safety of starch composite-based packaging in bioplastics is also explained.