Biopolymers from food wastes

Abstract

The natural biopolymers can be produced from polysaccharides, such as starch (rice, potato, wheat and corn), cellulose (straw and wood), chitin (crustaceans and insects), lignin (various plants) and, also, from proteins such as collagen (pig and cattle skin and bones). The biopolymers produced by various microorganisms and bacterial fermentation of cellulosic, agro and organic waste are the polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs). The properties of polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymers can be adjusted so that they can replace petroleum-based polymers such as polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Thus, the natural and microbial biopolymers often are used for food packaging applications.