Biodegradable Packaging in Food Industry

By- Swati Solanki

Introduction

The packaging that includes the use of biopolymers is Biodegradable packaging. Biopolymers are the molecules that are found in living organisms, like cellulose and proteins. Because of these characteristics they can be safely consumed, degrade quickly, and often be created from waste plant products. The aim of the paper is importance of raising awareness of people to live properly and responsibly, in harmony with nature, manage packaging and encourage the production of biodegradable packaging. In recent years biodegradable non-plastic packaging and films have begun to immerge as an alternative to standard plastic packaging.

The $30.8 billion bioplastics market will grow at a compound annual growth rate of 14.8 percent from 2015 to 2020, according to reports.

Classification of Biodegradable Polymers:

Biodegradable polymers can be divided into three broad classifications:

1. Natural polymers
2. Synthetic polymers
3. Modified Natural polymers

These classes may be further subdivided:

1. Natural polymers or biopolymers
2. Synthetic polymers

(a) Carbon chain backbone

(b) Heteroatom chain backbones

3. Modified Natural polymers

(a) Blends and grafts

(b) Chemically modified

(c) Oxidation

(d) Esterification

Biodegradable polyesters in commercial development

Advantages and Disadvantages of Biodegradable Packaging

Advantages

1. Renewable
2. Good for the environment
3. Less energy to produce
4. Easier recycling
5. It is not toxic installations
6. Reduced dependence on oil
7. Reduced emissions CO2

Disadvantages

1. The lack of arable land (future)
2. Compostability
3. A single bad properties
4. The awareness of people
5. Processing plants
6. Installation for the production
7. Short lived

Conclusion

Based on the above discussion, it can be concluded that biodegradable packaging has a successful future in the food industry. Various number of factors as for eg. policy and legislative changes, as well as world demand for food and energy resources, will undoubtedly influence the development of biodegradable packaging. There is no doubt that the production of and demand for this packaging more to increase partly because of improved properties of bio -degradable packaging and partly due to the decrease of its price, which is now unacceptable in relation to the price of other packaging materials. By increasing the awareness of people, training and, most large retail chains acting as the producers and the consumers can increase the growth and development biodegradable packaging. In order to solve this kind of packaging issue the food industry needs to more research. Food industry is one of the greatest packaging disposal producers and realizing biodegradable packages for food stuffs is an important requirement of nowadays environmental problems.

The author is Copy Editor in LB Associates and can be reached at swatias10@gmail.com