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Review
. 2023 Jul 7;15(13):2972.
doi: 10.3390/polym15132972.

A Review on Reinforcements and Additives in Starch-Based Composites for Food Packaging

Pedro Francisco Muñoz-Gimena  1 , Víctor Oliver-Cuenca  1 , Laura Peponi  1 , Daniel López  1
Affiliations
Review

A Review on Reinforcements and Additives in Starch-Based Composites for Food Packaging

Pedro Francisco Muñoz-Gimena et al. Polymers (Basel). .

Abstract

The research of starch as a matrix material for manufacturing biodegradable films has been gaining popularity in recent years, indicating its potential and possible limitations. To compete with conventional petroleum-based plastics, an enhancement of their low resistance to water and limited mechanical properties is essential. This review aims to discuss the various types of nanofillers and additives that have been used in plasticized starch films including nanoclays (montmorillonite, halloysite, kaolinite, etc.), poly-saccharide nanofillers (cellulose, starch, chitin, and chitosan nanomaterials), metal oxides (titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, zirconium oxide, etc.), and essential oils (carvacrol, eugenol, cinnamic acid). These reinforcements are frequently used to enhance several physical characteristics including mechanical properties, thermal stability, moisture resistance, oxygen barrier capabilities, and biodegradation rate, providing antimicrobial and antioxidant properties. This paper will provide an overview of the development of starch-based nanocomposite films and coatings applied in food packaging systems through the application of reinforcements and additives.

Keywords: active packaging; additives; biobased; biopolymers; nanocomposite; nanoparticles; reinforcement; starch.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 3
Figure 3
SEM images of various starches: (A) potato (1000×), (B) corn (1000×), (C) wheat (500×), and (D) rice (2000×) [39].
Figure 10
Figure 10
Nanocellulose production through enzymatic hydrolysis. (A) Pretreatments for cellulose extraction; (B) Controlled enzymatic hydrolysis for production of cellulose nanofibers and nanocrystals; (C) Application of mechanical treatment to obtain more uniform particles [196].
Figure 11
Figure 11
Comparison between the different types of nanocellulose [197].
Figure 15
Figure 15
Terpene structure.
Figure 20
Figure 20
Color changes in response to pH variation of (A) anthocyanin, (B) curcumin, (C) alizarin, (D) shikonin, and (E) betalains [321].
Figure 1
Figure 1
Analytics related to keywords: starch, active, and packaging (source: Scopus).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Chemical structure of starch-constituting natural polymers amylopectin and amylose [23].
Figure 4
Figure 4
Illustrative scheme of starch granule disruption [42].
Figure 5
Figure 5
Representation of a tape casting setup used for ceramic manufacturing [67].
Figure 6
Figure 6
Tortuosity pathway in polymeric matrices with different geometric nanoparticles [87].
Figure 7
Figure 7
Possible dispersion states of nanoclay in composite structures [100].
Figure 8
Figure 8
Antimicrobial mechanisms of Ag nanoparticles [120].
Figure 9
Figure 9
Acid hydrolysis with sulfuric acid of waxy maize and starch [158].
Figure 12
Figure 12
Scheme of main steps for CNC preparation [200].
Figure 13
Figure 13
Scheme of the self-assembly BC–starch film: (a) Starch granules are in suspension in the culture medium; (b) After autoclaving, starch is partially gelatinized, amylose leaches and granules swell; (c) BC nanofibrils grow in presence of the partially gelatinized starch; (d) After hot pressing, the nanocomposite shows interpenetrating networks of amylose and cellulose. [234].
Figure 14
Figure 14
Chemical structures of chitin and chitosan via deacetylation.
Figure 16
Figure 16
Oxidation mechanism [296].
Figure 17
Figure 17
Carvacrol structure.
Figure 18
Figure 18
Eugenol structure.
Figure 19
Figure 19
Cinnamic acid and its derivate acids.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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