ABSTRACT
The lack of degradability and xenobiotic nature of the synthetic polymeric materials leads to high levels of environmental pollution and health hazards. The recalcitrant nature of plastic is a matter of huge concern, and hence new challenges came in front in response to plastic degradation. With the increasing demand for plastics and rising pressure for their safe disposal, biodegradable plastics and plastic biodegradation gained a lot of attention in recent years. The application of biopolymers is limited to short shelf-life products, but they have the huge potential to govern the packaging sector in the coming years. Poly(lactic acid) (PLA) is among the most important commercially available thermoplastic polyesters that are bio-based and biodegradable. It offers a sustainable alternative for food packaging across a wide range of potential product-based applications as per consumers’ demand and market trends. The analysis of biochemical processes involved in PLA biodegradation is a key factor for exploring the high efficient methods of PLA degradation in natural environments. This chapter aims to present the latest developments and challenges in the field of PLA-based materials applied in the food packaging sector 240and to evaluate in a critical manner the way in which such materials are studied for their biodegradability and/or biocompostability in specific biological environments. Further-more, the end of life options and life cycle assessment studies for PLA reported in recent literature are being discussed.
