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Nanotechnology is being used to create innovative food packaging systems that can inhibit the oxidation of foods, thereby improving their quality, safety, and shelf life. These nano-enabled antioxidant packaging materials may therefore increase the healthiness and sustainability of the food supply chain. Recent progress in the application of nanotechnology to create antioxidant packaging materials is reviewed in this paper. The utilization of nanoparticles, nanofibers, nanocrystals, and nanoemulsions to incorporate antioxidants into these packaging materials is highlighted. The application of nano-enabled antioxidant packaging materials to preserve meat, seafood, fruit, vegetable, and other foods is then discussed. Finally, future directions and challenges in the development of this kind of active packaging material are highlighted to stimulate new areas of future research. Nanotechnology has already been used to create antioxidant packaging materials that inhibit oxidative deterioration reactions in foods, thereby prolonging their shelf life and reducing food waste. However, the safety, cost, efficacy, and scale-up of this technology still needs to be established before it will be commercially viable for many applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Growing public awareness of the harmful environmental impacts of plastics has sparked interest in the development of plant-based packaging materials. Because starch is a naturally occurring film-forming polymer that is accessible, plentiful, renewable, and biodegradable, it is frequently utilized for this purpose. However, natural starch's applicability for coatings and film formation is severely limited by its comparatively strong hydrophilicity. In this review, recent research progress on the hydrophobic modification of starch is discussed, including chemical, physical, and/or enzymatic modification methods. Changes in the hydrophobicity and other properties of starches caused by these modification methods are highlighted. In addition, applications of hydrophobically modified starch-based films in the food, agriculture, packaging, and pharmaceutical industries are reviewed. Finally, future development requirements and potential applications of starch-based films are emphasized. Although there has been some progress in research on starch-based film materials, these technologies often involve complex production processes and high production costs. Therefore, the development of low-cost, low-energy, safe, green, and sustainable modification methods has been expected to be widely used in the future. [Display omitted] • Summarized the hydrophobic modification methods of starch-based films. • Introduced the advantages and disadvantages of hydrophobic modification methods for starch-based films. • Introduced the applications of starch-based hydrophobic films. • Discussed the challenges and prospects of starch-based hydrophobic films. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Starch has great potential to replace petroleum-based plastics in food packaging applications. However, starch films often exhibit poor mechanical and barrier properties, and are vulnerable to moisture and bacterial contamination. This study proved that the incorporation of eggshell powder (ES) enhanced the hydrogen bonding in starch-based films significantly, which contributed to improved tensile strength, Young's modulus, and water resistance of the films. The performance of ES-incorporated films could be optimized by adjusting the size, concentration, and surface property of ES in the film matrix. Notably, adsorbing epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) on the surface of porous ES contributed to enhanced dispersibility of the fillers in the film matrix, which increased the tortuous path of light, water vapor, and oxygen have to take through the films, resulting in increased UV screening performance, water vapor and oxygen barrier property of the films by 60 %, 7.2 %, and 27.9 %, respectively. Meanwhile, loading EGCG in ES also enable superior antibacterial activity of the final films. This study suggests that eggshell fillers offer a sustainable means of improving the functional performance of starch-based films, which may increase their application as packaging materials in the food industry. • Eggshell waste was added to starch-based films. • Treated eggshell waste reinforced the strength and thermal stability of starch films. • Treated eggshell waste increased the water vapor and oxygen barrier properties. • Eggshell waste decreased the surface hydrophilicity of starch-based films. • Treated eggshell waste enhances the antibacterial activity of the composite films. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Starch-based packaging materials are being developed to alleviate environmental pollution and greenhouse gas emissions associated with plastic-based ones. However, the high hydrophilicity and poor mechanical properties of pure-starch films limit their widespread application. In this study, dopamine self-polymerization was used as a strategy to improve the performance of starch-based films. Spectroscopy analysis showed that strong hydrogen bonding occurred between polydopamine (PDA) and starch molecules within the composite films, which significantly altered their internal and surface microstructures. The composite films had a greater water contact angle (> 90°), which indicated that the incorporation of PDA reduced their hydrophilicity. Additionally, the elongation at break of the composite films was 11-fold higher than pure-starch films, indicating that PDA improved film flexibility, while the tensile strength decreased to some extent. The composite films also exhibited excellent UV-shielding performance. These high-performance films may have practical applications in food and other industries as biodegradable packaging materials. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]