Sustainability is now the bulwark to a clean environment, which is free of plastic. The heavy reliance on petrochemicals and inherent non-biodegradability of plastic packaging means it has long been a significant contributor to environmental degradation.
Plastic food packaging accounts for a significant amount of plastic waste in landfills. In the face of escalating environmental concerns, researchers are scouting for bio-derived alternatives.
Now, scientists at The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) have developed an edible, transparent and biodegradable material that can be used in the food packaging industry. For the material, the team has used certain types of bacteria to produce the organic compound bacterial cellulose (BC), which is sustainable, easily available, and non-toxic, as against 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. Speaking to the Society of Chemical Industry, he said, "Research has been conducted on BC, including its use in intelligent packaging, smart films, and functionalized materials created through blending, coating, and other techniques. These studies show the potential of BC as a replacement for single-use plastic."
Unlike the cellulose found in the cell walls of plants, BC can be produced through microbial fermentation, which eliminates the need to harvest trees, which doesn't contribute to deforestation or habitat loss, said Ngai.
In a recent paper, published in the SCI Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, the researchers at CUHK laid out a novel approach to address the limitations of BC-based materials. By incorporating certain soy proteins into the structure and coating it with an oil-resistant composite, the scientists successfully created an edible, transparent, and robust BC-based composite packaging. "It does not require specific reaction conditions like chemical reactions, but rather a simple and practical method with mixing and coating," Ngai said, adding, "This approach offers a promising solution to the challenge of developing sustainable and environmentally friendly packaging materials that can replace single-use plastics on a large scale."
The study demonstrated that the plastic alternative could be completely degraded within 1-2 months. "The material developed in this research is completely edible, making it safe for turtles and other sea animals to consume without causing aquatic toxicity in the ocean," Ngai explained