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In this study, we prepared Poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA)/Guar gum (GG) based nanocomposite films with a different weight ratio of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) via in situ approach using GG itself as a reducing agent and PVA as a capping as well as stabilizing agent at room temperature. The in situ synthesized AgNPs in the PVA/GG matrix was confirmed by surface plasmon resonance (420–450 nm) and SEM-EDAX analysis. The average size of AgNPs was found to be 10 nm determined by XRD. The light transmittance is greatly influenced by the AgNPs. At an optimal concentration of AgNPs (6.8 mg), PVA/GG/Ag nanocomposite films showed improved tensile properties (Ts—23.93 MPa) and the water vapor transmission rate. The incorporation of AgNPs has significantly enhanced the hydrophobicity (~ 77%) as well as the thermal stability (~ 61.39%) of the PVA/GG film. The overall migration rate of the nanocomposite films with the three food simulants was shown significantly below the permitted limit of 10 mg/dm2. Further PVA/GG/Ag nanocomposite films showed a lower soil burial degradation rate than PVA/GG film and good antibacterial properties against environmental microorganisms such as S. aureus and E. coli bacteria. The results suggest that the prepared films can be used as promising food packaging materials.Graphic Abstract

Background: Environmental concerns about petroleum-based plastic packaging materials and the growing demand for food have inspired researchers and the food industry to develop food packaging with better food preservation and biodegradability. Nanocomposites consisting of nanofillers, and synthetic/biopolymers can be applied to improve the physiochemical and antimicrobial properties and sustainability of food packaging. Scope and approach: This review summarized the recent advances in nanofiller and their applications in improved food packaging systems (e.g., nanoclay, carbon nanotubes), active food packaging (e.g., silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs), zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs)), intelligent food packaging, and degradable packaging (e.g., titanium dioxide nanoparticles (e.g., TiO2 NPs)). Additionally, the migration processes and related assessment methods for nanofillers were considered, as well as the use of nanofillers to reduce migration. The potential cytotoxicity and ecotoxicity of nanofillers were also reviewed. Key findings: The incorporation of nanofillers may increase Young’s modulus (YM) while decreasing the elongation at break (EAB) (y = −1.55x + 1.38, R2 = 0.128, r = −0.358, p = 0.018) and decreasing the water vapor (WVP) and oxygen permeability (OP) (y = 0.30x − 0.57, R2 = 0.039, r = 0.197, p = 0.065). Meanwhile, the addition of metal-based NPs could also extend the shelf-life of food products by lowering lipid oxidation by an average of approx. 350.74% and weight loss by approx. 28.39% during the longest storage period, and significantly increasing antibacterial efficacy against S. aureus compared to the neat polymer films (p = 0.034). Moreover, the migration process of nanofillers may be negligible but still requires further research. Additionally, the ecotoxicity of nanofillers is unclear, as the final distribution of nanocomposites in the environment is unknown. Conclusions: Nanotechnology helps to overcome the challenges associated with traditional packaging materials. Strong regulatory frameworks and safety standards are needed to ensure the appropriate use of nanocomposites. There is also a need to explore how to realize the economic and technical requirements for large-scale implementation of nanocomposite technologies.

With the development of the network economy, especially the promotion and popularization of mobile networks, traditional offline businesses are further integrated with online businesses, promoting the development of business online strategies. However, with the growth of enterprises’ business, their negative externalities on the environment have gradually become prominent, further affecting sustainable consumption. The relationships between businesses, the environment, and consumption have become the focus of attention. China’s fast-growing bottled water companies face similar challenges. The pollution that occurs due to bottled water packaging poses great threats to consumers. Hence, this study extended the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) by integrating three risk aspects, namely, water pollution risk perception (WPRP), non-degradable package pollution risk perception (NPPRP), and false information risk perception (FIRP), to examine the consumers’ perceptions toward these risk aspects before purchasing bottled water online. This study employed a cross-sectional approach to collect data from online consumers via a survey method. A total of 401 valid samples were collected and then analyzed via a structural equation model using the AMOS statistical package. The results showed that attitude (AT), subjective norm (SN), and perceived behavior control (PBC) toward online bottled water purchase had significant and positive effects on the consumers’ purchase intentions (PIs). However, under the influence of risk perception, the consumers’ attitudes, SNs and PBC became suppressed by WPRP, and SN became suppressed due to the impact of FIRP. Furthermore, the negative impacts of NPPRP and FIRP on PI were partially mediated by AT, SN and PBC. Meanwhile, WPRP imposed the most significant direct effect on PI. The study results will help businesses to develop better online strategies to reduce the risk perception of bottled water and provide theoretical value and practical guidance for realizing sustainable consumption.

Biomass biodegradable packaging material as a new green packaging material is a hot research area of packaging material. In order to obtain its life cycle environmental property, the life cycle environmental impact of biomass biodegradable packaging materials was studied in this paper. Firstly, the life cycle assessment theory and Eco-indicator99 method were used to establish the life cycle assessment model for biomass biodegradable packaging material; Secondly, objective and scope of the assessment are identified through the research on characteristics of life cycle stages of biomass biodegradable packaging material; Finally, Simapro software is used to do the biomass biodegradable packaging materials LCA and the comparative analysis with the corrugated cardboard, kraft paper, modified starch biodegradable plastics packaging materials.

Studying people's perceptions of their attitudes and behaviour toward the use and inappropriate disposal of plastics is necessary because it helps explain the meaning of sustainable environmental behaviour in the context of African countries. Formulating appropriate behavioural change interventions may lead to a shift in people's behaviour in terms of plastic consumption if they become aware of the environmental risk of plastics. Using a qualitative review of literature, relevant materials for this paper were identified using a search strategy that involved keywords and databases. Previous empirical studies employed several theoretical frameworks. However, inconsistences in the use and definition of variables, make comparing the results of these studies difficult. Although the literature is growing, more empirical evidence is still needed to understand the drivers of people's perceptions toward unsustainable environmental behaviour in the context of African countries and to formulate appropriate behavioural change interventions. A review of the literature determined four broad drivers of people's perceptions toward unsustainable environmental behaviour. These include policy or institutional variables, product and market attributes, community variables, and individual characteristics. Additionally, we offer a consolidated conceptual framework for analysing consumer perception in relation to the use of nondegradable plastics and environmental pollution and identify the drivers of people's perceptions. Policy implications for developing countries as well as future research directions are flagged.

With growing concerns about environmental protection and sustainable development, the development of new biodegradable food packaging materials has become a significant focus for the future of food packaging. Polysaccharides, such as cellulose, chitosan, and starch, are considered ideal biodegradable packaging materials due to their wide availability, good biocompatibility, and biodegradability. These materials have garnered extensive attention from researchers in food packaging, leading to considerable advancements in the application of polysaccharide-based food packaging films, coatings, aerogels, and other forms. Therefore, this review focuses on the application of polysaccharide-based packaging films in food storage and preservation and discusses their preparation methods, application progress, challenges, and future development directions. Through an in-depth analysis of the existing literature, this review aims to provide sustainable and environmentally friendly solutions for the food packaging industry.

The application of smart packaging technology in fruit and vegetable preservation has shown significant potential with the ongoing advancement of science and technology. Smart packaging leverages advanced sensors, smart materials, and Internet of Things (IoT) technologies to monitor and regulate the storage environment of fruits and vegetables in real time. This approach effectively extends shelf life, enhances food safety, and reduces food waste. The principle behind smart packaging involves real-time monitoring of environmental factors, such as temperature, humidity, and gas concentrations, with precise adjustments based on data analysis to ensure optimal storage conditions for fruits and vegetables. Smart packaging technologies encompass various functions, including antibacterial action, humidity regulation, and gas control. These functions enable the packaging to automatically adjust its internal environment according to the specific requirements of different fruits and vegetables, thereby slowing the growth of bacteria and mold, prolonging freshness, and retaining nutritional content. Despite its advantages, the widespread adoption of smart packaging technology faces several challenges, including high costs, limited material diversity and reliability, lack of standardization, and consumer acceptance. However, as technology matures, costs decrease, and degradable smart packaging materials are developed, smart packaging is expected to play a more prominent role in fruit and vegetable preservation. Future developments are likely to focus on material innovation, deeper integration of IoT and big data, and the promotion of environmentally sustainable packaging solutions, all of which will drive the fruit and vegetable preservation industry toward greater efficiency, intelligence, and sustainability.

In today’s world, the problem of “white pollution” is becoming more and more serious, and many countries have paid special attention to this problem, and it has become one of the most important tasks to reduce polymer waste and to protect the environment. Due to the degradability, safety, economy and practicality of biodegradable packaging film materials, biodegradable packaging film materials have become a major trend in the packaging industry to replace traditional packaging film materials, provided that the packaging performance requirements are met. This paper reviews the degradation mechanisms and performance characteristics of biodegradable packaging film materials, such as photodegradation, hydrodegradation, thermo-oxidative degradation and biodegradation, focuses on the research progress of the modification of biodegradable packaging film materials, and summarizes some challenges and bottlenecks of current biodegradable packaging film materials.

Extensive usage of long-lasting petroleum based plastics for short-lived application such as packaging has raised concerns regarding their role in environmental pollution. In this research, we have developed active, healable, and safely dissolvable alginate-pectin based biocomposites that have potential applications in food packaging. The morphological study revealed the rough surface of these biocomposite films. Tensile properties indicated that the fabricated samples have mechanical properties in the range of commercially available packaging films while possessing excellent healing efficiency. Biocomposite films exhibited higher hydrophobicity properties compared to neat alginate films. Thermal analysis indicated that crosslinked biocomposite samples possess higher thermal stability in temperatures below 120 °C, while antibacterial analysis against E. coli and S. aureus revealed the antibacterial properties of the prepared samples against different bacteria. The fabricated biodegradable multi-functional biocomposite films possess various imperative properties, making them ideal for utilization as packaging material.

This study developed a kind of PEG-crosslinked O-carboxymethyl chitosan (O-CMC–PEG) with various PEG content for food packaging. The crosslinking agent of isocyanate-terminated PEG was firstly synthesized by a simple condensation reaction between PEG and excess diisocyanate, then the crosslink between O-carboxymethyl chitosan (O-CMC) and crosslinking agent occurred under mild conditions to produce O-CMC–PEG with a crosslinked structure linked by urea bonds. FT-IR and 1 H NMR techniques were utilized to confirm the chemical structures of the crosslinking agent and O-CMC–PEGs. Extensive research was conducted to investigate the impact of the PEG content (or crosslinking degree) on the physicochemical characteristics of the casted O-CMC–PEG films. The results illuminated that crosslinking and components compatibility could improve their tensile features and water vapor barrier performance, while high PEG content played the inverse effects due to the microphase separation between PEG and O-CMC segments. The in vitro degradation rate and water sensitivity primarily depended on the crosslinking degree in comparison with the PEG content. Furthermore, caused by the remaining –NH 2 groups of O-CMC, the films demonstrated antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus . When the PEG content was 6% (medium crosslinking degree), the prepared O-CMC–PEG −6% film possessed optimal tensile features, high water resistance, appropriate degradation rate, low water vapor transmission rate and fine broad-spectrum antibacterial capacity, manifesting a great potential for application in food packaging to extend the shelf life.