Chitosan with Natural Additives as a Potential Food Packaging

Abstract

Recently, the development of materials based on natural polymers have been observed. This is the result of increasing environmental degradation, as well as increased awareness and consumer expectations. Many industries, especially the packaging industry, face challenges resulting from legal regulations. Chitin is the most common biopolymer right after cellulose and is used to produce chitosan. Due to the properties of chitosan, such as non-toxicity, biocompatibility, as well as antimicrobial properties, chitosan-based materials are used in many industries. Many studies have been conducted to determine the suitability of chitosan materials as food packaging, and their advantages and limitations have been identified. Thanks to the possibility of modifying the chitosan matrix by using natural additives, it is possible to strengthen the antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of chitosan films, which means that, in the near future, chitosan-based materials will be a more environmentally friendly alternative to the plastic packaging used so far. The article presents literature data on the most commonly used natural additives, such as essential oils, plant extracts, or polysaccharides, and their effects on antimicrobial, antioxidant, mechanical, barrier, and optical properties. The application of chitosan as a natural biopolymer in food packaging extends the shelf-life of various food products while simultaneously reducing the use of synthetic plastics, which in turn will have a positive impact on the natural environment. However, further research on chitosan and its combinations with various materials is still needed to extent the application of chitosan in food packaging and bring its application to industrial levels.

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Unveiling the Potential of Marine Biopolymers: Sources, Classification, and Diverse Food Applications

“…It was first introduced in the Middle East and then expanded to the other nations that produce agarophyte seaweed. Its use was first observed in Europe in 1859, and bacterial-culture media began to contain it in 1882 [ 29 ].…”

Chitosanase Production from the Liquid Fermentation of Squid Pens Waste by Paenibacillus elgii

“…Chitosan is a polysaccharide comprising glucosamine and N-acetylglucosamine units linked together by β-1,4-glycosidic bonds [ 1 ]. This versatile compound is a promising non-toxic polymer with remarkable properties such as biocompatibility, antibacterial activity, biodegradability, film-forming ability, and others [ 2 ], making it useful for a wide range of applications, including food [ 3 ], cosmetics [ 4 ], biomedicine [ 5 ], agriculture [ 6 ], and environmental protection [ 7 ]. However, due to its poor solubility at neutral pH values, chitosan has limited usage in the food and medicine industry [ 8 ].…”