ABSTRACT
Packaging of food is among the most significant issues in today’s research. Due to increased pollution and toxicity of food caused by non-biodegradable plastic means of packaging, consumers and scientists have started looking toward “greener” strategies. When natural biopolymers were introduced, they eliminated environment and toxicity concerns but faced problems such as mechanical strength and water resistance. Nanoscience has helped in improving reduced gas permeability, mechanical strength, and water resistance. This chapter focuses on the development and applications of several kinds of nanostructured layers, like nanoedible films, chitosan films, natural biopolymer–based nanocomposites, etc., in food packaging and how challenges have been overcome by them that were observed in case of synthetic materials. Nanocomposite films have also shown activity against microbes S. aureus and E. coli.
