Biopolymer-based food packaging: performance, environmental impact, and pathways toward a sustainable future

There has been increasing interest in exploring alternatives to conventional plastic food packaging to address associated environmental concerns. Among these alternatives, biopolymers derived from natural sources such as starch, cellulose, polylactic acid (PLA), polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), and proteins have gained significant attention. This review highlights the applications and performance of these biopolymer-based materials, particularly in terms of their mechanical strength, moisture resistance, and gas barrier properties. However, most commercially available biopolymers still lag conventional synthetic plastics in terms of functionality and overall performance. Their high-water absorption, poor gas barrier properties, and elevated production costs limit their large-scale application in food packaging. Previous studies have demonstrated that biopolymers are generally more environmentally friendly, with lower greenhouse gas emissions compared to petrochemical-based plastics, although they may involve higher agricultural and energy demands during production. Furthermore, this review discusses sustainable packaging strategies and end-of-life management approaches, including composting, recycling, and anaerobic digestion, to support the transition toward a circular economy and sustainable future. Overall, biopolymer-based packages can be environmentally friendly if sustainable sources, efficient manufacturing processes, and proper disposal are used. The main barriers to the widespread use of biopolymers include their inadequate barrier performance, high costs, and lack of adequate recycling and composting facilities.