Frontiers in 3D printing for biobased food packaging

Additive manufacturing (3D printing) offers design flexibility across various industries, including food processing and packaging. With digital controls, it is possible to fabricate 3D structures layer-by-layer. This review highlights the potential of 3D printing for creating bio-based food packaging with innovative functionalities and additionally, provides a brief overview of traditional and recent techniques for developing food packaging. By layering materials, 3D printing enables the production of sustainable, biocompatible packaging, providing an alternative to traditional methods. The review covers key 3D printing methods for biomaterial-based packaging, comparing them with conventional techniques. Extrusion-based printing is identified as the most suitable technology for developing bio-based packaging. Important factors include material properties, process optimization, and market demand. 3D-printed packaging shows improved water vapor barriers, hydrophobicity, and mechanical properties over casted films. As sustainability becomes increasingly critical, the market for bio-based 3D-printed packaging is expected to grow significantly.