Bioactive and functional biodegradable packaging films reinforced with nanoparticles

Abstract Compared to traditional synthetic packaging materials, biopolymer packaging films are biodegradable and environmentally-friendly. However, most raw materials failed to serve alone as food packaging due to their poor mechanical and barrier properties, which limits their wide application. Nanomaterials have drawn great interest in recent years due to their extraordinary properties, making them advantageous in food packaging and nanocomposite applications. Naturel biopolymers including starch, cellulose, protein, and chitosan can be transferred into nanoscale via different treatments. Specifically, these nanoparticles can render significant barrier properties as well as mechanical, optical, catalytic, antimicrobial, and other functional properties when used in packaging. This paper provides the new technological advances in the mechanical and barrier reinforcing effects of nanoparticles on biopolymer-based packaging films. Bio-active and functional food packaging films combined with active compounds loaded nanoparticles are also summarized, which are regarded as ideal materials to maintain the nutritive quality and safety of packaged food.