The development of biodegradable food packaging with superior properties and functionalities compared to conventional food packaging is one of the emerging research interests. Immediate disposal of conventional single use nonbiodegradable food packaging results in adverse environmental impact. Utilization of either biomass‐based, microorganism‐derived, or biotechnologically synthesized biopolymers as biodegradable matrices is the common approach toward achieving sustainability. Consequently, starch and cellulose are being commonly used as biodegradable matrices. However, rather than being fully biodegradable, most of them can be considered as semibiodegradable. Majority of the review studies are based on matrices that have an origin in edible sources, which might result in food insecurity. Although development of bio‐based polymers with sound packaging properties have been extensively studied, the potential agro‐industrial waste as alternative, eco‐friendly, and economically viable matrices have attracted little attention. Therefore, the approaches of developing biodegradable food packaging and the framework of converting agro‐industrial waste into biodegradable packaging matrices are discussed comparatively in this paper. It also critiques the approaches and valorization of agro‐industrial waste in biodegradable food packaging. Thereby, an overview of physicochemical, functional, and biodegradable properties of commonly used biodegradable food packaging materials are provided as an insight for agro‐industrial waste‐based food packaging. The potential use of agro‐industrial waste‐based biodegradable food packaging materials against commonly used biodegradable food packaging materials has been highlighted in this study. Thereby, the vital necessity of growing awareness about agro‐industrial waste as biodegradable food packaging materials is emphasized through this comprehensive review.

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The utilisation of edible sources of starch such as corn, wheat, potato, and cassava has become the common approach to develop biodegradable food packaging. However, the future food security issue from the wide application of such edible starch sources has become a major concern. Consequently, exploring non-edible sources of starch for starch-based biodegradable food packaging and their property enhancement have become one of the common research interests. Although there has been a great potentials of synthesising biodegradable food packaging by direct utilisation of agro-industrial waste cassava bagasse, there have been very limited studies on this. In this context, the current study investigated the potential of developing biodegradable food packaging by directly using cassava bagasse as an alternative matrix. Two film-forming mixtures were prepared by incorporating glycerol (30% and 35%), powdered cassava bagasse and water. The films were hot-pressed at 60 °C, 100 °C, and 140 °C temperatures under 0.28 t pressure for 6 min. The best film-forming mixture and temperature combination was further tested with 0.42 t and 0.84 t pressures, followed by analysing their morphology, functional group availability and the thermal stability. Accordingly, application of 35% glycerol, with 100 °C, 0.42 t temperature and pressure, respectively, were found to be promising for film preparation. The absence of starch agglomerates in film surfaces with less defects suggested satisfactory dispersion and compatibility of starch granules and glycerol. The film prepared under 0.42 t exhibited slightly higher thermal stability. Synthesised prototypes of food packaging and the obtained characterisation results demonstrated the high feasibility of direct utilisation of cassava bagasse as an alternative, non-edible matrix to synthesise biodegradable food packaging.

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The aim of this study was to utilise agro-industrial wastes as alternative materials for biodegradable food packaging. The appropriateness of cassava peel and bagasse as non-edible sources of starch have been investigated through their characterization followed by extraction of starch and film preparations. The results revealed that the properties of cassava peel and bagasse are suitable for making food packaging and therefore have the potential to replace edible starch sources currently used. While addressing environmental concerns, the study has also reflected that utilizing this waste into biodegradable food packaging sector can contribute towards the world food security.