Combating micro/nano plastic pollution with bioplastic: Sustainable food packaging, challenges, and future perspectives

• Published in: Environmental pollution (1987) 2024-12, Vol.363 (Pt 1), p.125077, Article 125077
• Main Authors: Kumar, Subhash, Dubey, Namo, Kumar, Vishal, Choi, Inho, Jeon, Junhyun, Kim, Myunghee
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Biodegradable Plastics; Bioplastic; Circular bioeconomy; Environmental Pollution; Food Packaging; Health hazards; Humans; Plastics; Toxicity
• ISSN: 0269-7491; 1873-6424; 1873-6424
• DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.125077

The widespread use of plastic in food packaging provides significant challenges due to its non-biodegradability and the risk of hazardous chemicals seeping into food and the environment. This highlights the pressing need to come up with alternatives to traditional plastic that prioritize environmental sustainability, food quality, and safety. The current study presents an up-to-date examination of micro/nano plastic (MP/NP) consumption and their associated toxicity to human health, while also considering bioplastic as safer and eco-friendly alternative materials for packaging. The study contributes to a deeper comprehension of the primary materials utilized for bioplastic manufacturing and their potential for large-scale use. The key findings underscore the distinctive features of bioplastics, such as starch, polyhydroxyalkanoates, polylactic acid, and polybutylene succinate, as well as their blends with active agents, rendering them suitable for innovative food packaging applications. Moreover, the study includes a discussion of insights from various scientific literature, agency reports (governmental and non-governmental), and industry trends in bioplastic production and their potential to combat MP/NP pollution. In essence, the review highlights future research directions for the safe integration of bioplastics in food packaging, addresses outstanding questions, and proposes potential solutions to challenges linked with plastic usage. [Display omitted] •Sustainable and eco-friendly bioplastic without toxicity is mandatory for food packaging.•Starch, PHA, PLA, and PBS are major types of bioplastics used for food packaging.•Biowaste valorization into bioplastics via fermentation promotes the circular economy.•Physico-chemical properties, costs, and policies are key challenges for bioplastics.•Novel strains and metabolic engineering are key for cost-effective bioplastic production.