Edible Packaging: Mechanical Properties and Testing Methods

Traditionally people use food packaging materials from nonrenewable sources such as plastics obtained from petroleum. The traditional food packaging materials play a significant role in the total plastics consumption of the world. They are nonbiodegradable, cause environmental pollution, and large carbon adds to water footprint in their manufacturing process. Subsequently, this leads to a heavy dependence on nonrenewable resources. Reducing the amount of nonrenewable material by biodegradable and renewable sources of packaging holds the potential to improve waste disposal and decrease the cost of packaging and overall product. The need for alternatives to petrochemical-based plastics is more than ever. The current trend in food packaging calls for the utilization of natural, “environment-friendly” materials, which also have some additional functional properties wherever possible and with some cost benefit. Biodegradable packaging is a very good alternative packaging and a specialized type of biodegradable packaging, that is, the “edible packaging,” is a very good alternative as they also have some other benefits like enhancing shelf life, maintaining the freshness of foods, and can be eaten along with the food without altering the original organoleptic characteristics of the food. The two main considerations with the use of edible packaging can be understood from its name itself, which are firstly “edible,” it means the package is an integral part of the food and may or may not be consumed together with the product and hence should have all the necessary properties. At present, 12 types of edible films are approved by FDA and commercially used, which are made up of materials like polysaccharides, lipids, cellulose, chitosan, starch (potato, corn, wheat, rice), hemicellulose, hydrocolloids like gums (guar, pectin) and alginates, and plant and animal proteins. Secondly, the material chosen should have all the properties to protect the food from the outer environment, provide a good barrier against light, water vapor, other gases, and also have the required mechanical strength to protect the food against damages incurred during storage, transportation, and handling.