Technological watch

Nowadays, edible and eco-friendly packaging applications have been studied as an alternative to conventional/synthetic packaging due to the great interest of consumers in healthy, safe, and natural food, and of researchers in meeting the needs of consumers and producers. Various biopolymers are being extensively explored as potential materials for food packaging. The edible biopolymers utilized so far for packaging applications include proteins, lipids, and polysaccharides. Occasionally, these biopolymers have incorporated different bioactive substances to enhance the composite films’ characteristics. Gelatin and chitosan are two of the most important biopolymers for the production of films. Different biopolymers or bioactive substances have been incorporated into the matrix to enhance the gelatin-based and chitosan-based films. By incorporating other biopolymers and bioactive compounds, the composite films’ overall physicochemical and mechanical characteristics are improved. Additionally, by incorporating bioactive compounds (polyphenolic compounds, natural extracts, and essential oils), the composite films present important biological properties, such as antioxidant and antimicrobial activities.