Production of Starch-Based Flexible Food Packaging in Developing Countries: Analysis of the Processes, Challenges, and Requirements
Biodegradable packaging offers an affordable and sustainable solution to global pollution, particularly in developing countries with limited recycling infrastructure. Starch is well suited to develop biodegradable packages for foods due to its wide availability and simple, low-tech production proces...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2024-12-01
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| Series: | Foods |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/13/24/4096 |
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| author | Johanna Garavito Clara P. Peña-Venegas Diego A. Castellanos |
| author_facet | Johanna Garavito Clara P. Peña-Venegas Diego A. Castellanos |
| author_sort | Johanna Garavito |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Biodegradable packaging offers an affordable and sustainable solution to global pollution, particularly in developing countries with limited recycling infrastructure. Starch is well suited to develop biodegradable packages for foods due to its wide availability and simple, low-tech production process. Although the development of starch-based packaging is well documented, most studies focus on the laboratory stages of formulation and plasticization, leaving gaps in understanding key phases such as raw material conditioning, industrial-scale molding, post-production processes, and storage. This work evaluates the value chain of starch-based packaging in developing countries. It addresses the challenges, equipment, and process conditions at each stage, highlighting the critical role of moisture resistance in the final product’s functionality. A particular focus is placed on replacing single-use plastic packaging, which dominates food industries in regions with agricultural economies and rich biodiversity. A comprehensive analysis of starch-based packaging production, with a detailed understanding of each stage and the overall process, should contribute to the development of more sustainable and scalable solutions, particularly for the replacement of single-use packages, helping to protect vulnerable biodiverse regions from the growing impact of plastic waste. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-9d7585ea6d6b41aabea1e6b0c5b9d79d |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2304-8158 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-12-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Foods |
| spelling | doaj-art-9d7585ea6d6b41aabea1e6b0c5b9d79d2025-08-20T02:00:27ZengMDPI AGFoods2304-81582024-12-011324409610.3390/foods13244096Production of Starch-Based Flexible Food Packaging in Developing Countries: Analysis of the Processes, Challenges, and RequirementsJohanna Garavito0Clara P. Peña-Venegas1Diego A. Castellanos2Food Packaging and Shelf Life Laboratory, Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología de Alimentos, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Carrera 30 Número 45-03, Edificio 500A, Bogotá 111321, ColombiaInstituto Amazónico de Investigaciones Científicas—SINCHI, Avenida Vásquez Cobo Calle 15/16, Leticia 910001, ColombiaFood Packaging and Shelf Life Laboratory, Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología de Alimentos, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Carrera 30 Número 45-03, Edificio 500A, Bogotá 111321, ColombiaBiodegradable packaging offers an affordable and sustainable solution to global pollution, particularly in developing countries with limited recycling infrastructure. Starch is well suited to develop biodegradable packages for foods due to its wide availability and simple, low-tech production process. Although the development of starch-based packaging is well documented, most studies focus on the laboratory stages of formulation and plasticization, leaving gaps in understanding key phases such as raw material conditioning, industrial-scale molding, post-production processes, and storage. This work evaluates the value chain of starch-based packaging in developing countries. It addresses the challenges, equipment, and process conditions at each stage, highlighting the critical role of moisture resistance in the final product’s functionality. A particular focus is placed on replacing single-use plastic packaging, which dominates food industries in regions with agricultural economies and rich biodiversity. A comprehensive analysis of starch-based packaging production, with a detailed understanding of each stage and the overall process, should contribute to the development of more sustainable and scalable solutions, particularly for the replacement of single-use packages, helping to protect vulnerable biodiverse regions from the growing impact of plastic waste.https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/13/24/4096bio-packagingsustainable processbiobased materialssingle-usescaling up |
| spellingShingle | Johanna Garavito Clara P. Peña-Venegas Diego A. Castellanos Production of Starch-Based Flexible Food Packaging in Developing Countries: Analysis of the Processes, Challenges, and Requirements Foods bio-packaging sustainable process biobased materials single-use scaling up |
| title | Production of Starch-Based Flexible Food Packaging in Developing Countries: Analysis of the Processes, Challenges, and Requirements |
| title_full | Production of Starch-Based Flexible Food Packaging in Developing Countries: Analysis of the Processes, Challenges, and Requirements |
| title_fullStr | Production of Starch-Based Flexible Food Packaging in Developing Countries: Analysis of the Processes, Challenges, and Requirements |
| title_full_unstemmed | Production of Starch-Based Flexible Food Packaging in Developing Countries: Analysis of the Processes, Challenges, and Requirements |
| title_short | Production of Starch-Based Flexible Food Packaging in Developing Countries: Analysis of the Processes, Challenges, and Requirements |
| title_sort | production of starch based flexible food packaging in developing countries analysis of the processes challenges and requirements |
| topic | bio-packaging sustainable process biobased materials single-use scaling up |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/13/24/4096 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT johannagaravito productionofstarchbasedflexiblefoodpackagingindevelopingcountriesanalysisoftheprocesseschallengesandrequirements AT clarappenavenegas productionofstarchbasedflexiblefoodpackagingindevelopingcountriesanalysisoftheprocesseschallengesandrequirements AT diegoacastellanos productionofstarchbasedflexiblefoodpackagingindevelopingcountriesanalysisoftheprocesseschallengesandrequirements |