Application progress of rosin in food packaging: A review

Foodborne illness caused by Gram bacteria is the most important food safety issue worldwide. Food packaging film is a very important means to extend the shelf life of food. It reduces microbial contamination and provides food safety assurance during the sales process. However, the food packaging material is derived from plastic. Most plastics are not only non-degradable but also harmful to human health. Biodegradable natural polymers are an ideal substitute, but their poor mechanical properties, hydrophilicity and weak antibacterial properties limit their applications. Rosin is an oily pine ester in the pine family, which is a natural renewable resource with a wide range of sources. It is widely used in various fields, such as surfactants, adhesives, drug loading, antibacterial, etc. However, there are only a few reports on the application of rosin in food packaging. It is worth noting that the unique hydrogenated phenanthrene ring structure of rosin can enhance the thermal stability, hydrophobicity and antibacterial properties of food packaging. More importantly, rosin has a wide range of sources, good biocompatibility, and can be degraded in nature. These advantages are conducive to the application of rosin in food packaging. However, previous reviews focused on resins, silicone rubbers and surfactants. In this review we will focus on the application of rosin in food packaging.