ABSTRACT
The processability and versatility of synthetic plastic materials have led to their widespread use as food packaging materials, resulting in problems of accumulation of waste in the environment. For this reason, the ability of biopolymer-based packaging 154materials to create novel applications for the improvement of food quality, safety, and stability is undergoing continuous study. One of the most worrisome questions addressed by the possible industrial applications of edible packaging materials is the scale-up of the production methods along with the uncertainty of their potential applications and stability. Most of the research regarding edible packaging applications are related to their barrier properties (water vapor, oxygen, aroma compounds, light, fat, etc.) as well as to their mechanical versatility or the ability to be a vehicle for active substances. However, opposite to synthetic packaging materials, edible packaging materials are from natural origin and so they are susceptible to chemical, enzymatic or microbial modification, and/or degradation, leading to a greater instability that may limit their applications or even their shelf life. Regarding the production of edible packaging materials, wet (casting) or dry (thermopressing, extrusion) methods can be employed depending on the raw materials, the food products, or the desired applications. In this chapter, these important subjects are discussed as some of the most important issues in the development of edible packaging.
