Biopolymer based composite packaging: A sustainable approach for fruits and vegetables preservation

The rising market demands for biobased and eco-friendly materials for food packaging has been increasing day by day to avoid the over exploitation of natural resources. In recent decades, the use of natural plant and animal derived biopolymers has been used to develop edible coating and films for fruits and vegetable preservation for longer storage periods. These biopolymer-based packaging possess good barrier, mechanical and other biological properties and can be use as alternatives of plastic and synthetic based packaging to avoid the environment and health threats. Despite the potential advantages, there are several disadvantages associated with the use of polysaccharide, protein and lipid/wax containing edible coating and films alone. To overcome these challenges and drawbacks the composite packaging (coating/films) is the best option for fruits and vegetables preservation. The biopolymer composites are also eco-friendly and sustainable materials, which exhibited excellent barrier, mechanical, thermal, and biological properties as compared to alone biopolymer based edible coating and films. Therefore, this review paper aims to explore the potential roles and applications of biopolymer-based composite coatings and films in the preservation of fruits and vegetables. Additionally, the paper addresses the primary limitations associated with polysaccharide, protein, and lipid/wax-based coatings and films. The roles of active agents in composite packaging and their effects on the postharvest shelf life and characteristics of fruits and vegetables are also examined in detail. Moreover, it is anticipated that the utilization of biopolymer-based composites could represent a green and sustainable approach to enhancing the storability of fruits and vegetables.