Ecological packaging and creating sustainable solutions for biodegradable cellulose derivatives: A review

Packaging made from conventional petroleum-based plastics has been in widespread use for many years by different industries, but demand has soared with the development of the food industry. Whereas plastics have benefited the food industry, their non-biodegradability has resulted in immense environmental damage, including the destruction of our aquatic ecosystems and air pollution. Hence, the development and use of biodegradable and sustainable food packaging to counter the menace of plastic pollution and the degrading environment is now a global necessity. In this review, we highlight recent advancements in sustainable food packaging materials, with special emphasis on cellulose-based biopolymers. Cellulose, derived from a renewable source, and its derivatives, namely cellulose acetate, carboxymethyl cellulose, nanocellulose, and methylcellulose, are being studied as environmentally friendly alternatives to conventional plastics for food packaging purposes. Limitations associated with the use of cellulose derivatives in this regard are also presented. In the end, the research documents cellulose derivatives as having great potentials in replacing conventional plastic in food packaging, thereby reducing plastic pollution and further reducing the environmental footprint of packaging materials.