An overview of nanoparticles role in the improvement of barrier properties of bioplastics for food packaging applications

Abstract Plastics are the most demanding materials for the food packaging industry due to economical and practical reasons such as their low cost, lightness, easy to handle in integrated production lines, and their higher resistance than other materials. Besides containment and information, the packaging should protect foodstuffs from not only contamination but also the loss of food quality. Despite the many advantages, their inherent permeability is perhaps the foremost drawback that could lead to the loss of some food components and, also, to the transference of gases or moisture from the surrounding to the food. Thus, the barrier properties and the wettability are of fundamental importan…