Animal derived biopolymers for food packaging applications: A review

It is essential to use environment-friendly, non-toxic, biodegradable and sustainable materials for various applications. Biopolymers are derived from renewable sources like plants, microorganisms, and agricultural wastes. Unlike conventional polymers, biopolymer has a lower carbon footprint and contributes less to greenhouse gas emission. All biopolymers are biodegradable, meaning natural processes can break them down into harmless products such as water and biomass. This property is of utmost importance for various sustainable applications. This review discusses different classifications of biopolymers based on origin, including plant-based, animal-based and micro-organism-based biopolymers. The review also discusses the desirable properties that are required in materials for their use as packaging material. It also discusses the different processes used in modifying the biopolymer to improve its properties. Finally, this review shows the recent developments taking place in using specifically animal origin-based biopolymer and its use in packaging material. It was observed that animal-origin-based biopolymers, although they possess unique properties however, are less explored than plant-origin biopolymers. The animal-origin-based biopolymers covered in this review are chitosan, gelatin, collagen, keratin, casein, whey, hyaluronic acid and silk fibroin. This review will help in renewing research interest in animal-origin biopolymers. In summary, biopolymer offers a sustainable and environment-friendly alternative to conventional polymers. Their versatility, biocompatibility will help create a more sustainable future.