Plastic food packaging accounts for a significant proportion of plastic waste in landfills. In the face of escalating environmental concerns, researchers are looking to bio-derived alternatives.
Plastic food packaging accounts for a significant proportion of plastic waste in landfills. In the face of escalating environmental concerns, researchers are looking to bio-derived alternatives.
Now, scientists at The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) have developed an edible, transparent and biodegradable material with considerable potential for application in food packaging. Their work is published in the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture.
Heavy reliance on petrochemicals and inherent non-biodegradability of plastic packaging mean it has long been a significant contributor to environmental contamination. A team at CUHK has turned its attention to bacterial cellulose (BC), an organic compound derived from certain types of bacteria, which has garnered attention as a sustainable, easily available, and non-toxic solution to the pervasive use of plastics.
Professor To Ngai from the Department of Chemistry, CUHK and corresponding author of the study, explained that the impressive tensile strength and high versatility of BC are the key to its potential.
He said, «Extensive research has been conducted on BC, including its use in intelligent packaging, smart films, and functionalized materials created through blending, coating, and other techniques.
