Value-added Utilization of Fruit and Vegetable Processing By-products for the Manufacture of Biodegradable Food Packaging Films

Currently, the demand for eco-friendly packaging materials to replace plastic is increasing. Edible or biodegradable packaging films prepared from natural compounds such as proteins, polysaccharides, and lipids have emerged as alternatives to non-biodegradable packaging materials. Fruit and vegetable waste has potential as a bioplastic material promoting environmental sustainability. In this regard, the use of underutilized compounds, such as by-products of fruit and vegetable processing in the production of biodegradable packaging films, is attracting more and more attention due to the availability of raw materials, cheapness, abundance, environmental friendliness, suitable physical properties, unique sensory and nutritional properties, and increased physical properties and functionality. The food industry, such as oil, juice, jam, or sugar production, contributes significantly to food waste generation. The agricultural/food processing by-products such as husks, seeds, offal, leaves, and gums from the production and processing of food contain high amounts of fibrous and plant proteins such as starch, cellulose, and pectin. As a result, food waste can be reused for recycling and high-value-added purposes, reducing environmental pollution and enabling sustainable green development. The present review discusses the use of fruit and vegetable by-products for producing biopolymers as an alternative to synthetic plastic polymers and the application of these biopolymers as value-added functional packaging films and coatings.