Chitosan as a sustainable alternative for fresh food packaging: Structural insights, modification strategies, and innovations for commercial viability
The unparalleled physicochemical properties and techno-economic gain of single-use plastics have made their replacement in fresh food packaging highly challenging. However, their increasing non-biodegradability and microplastic pollution across ecosystems have highlighted the urgent need for biodegr...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier Ltd
2025
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| Online Access: | https://umpir.ump.edu.my/id/eprint/45324/ |
| _version_ | 1848827384488263680 |
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| author | Olunusi, Samuel Olugbenga Nor Hanuni, Ramli Fatmawati, Adam Hossain, Emran Kim, Tak H. |
| author_facet | Olunusi, Samuel Olugbenga Nor Hanuni, Ramli Fatmawati, Adam Hossain, Emran Kim, Tak H. |
| author_sort | Olunusi, Samuel Olugbenga |
| building | UMP Institutional Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | The unparalleled physicochemical properties and techno-economic gain of single-use plastics have made their replacement in fresh food packaging highly challenging. However, their increasing non-biodegradability and microplastic pollution across ecosystems have highlighted the urgent need for biodegradable, sustainable, and multifunctional biomaterials. Chitosan, derived from partially deacetylated chitin from crustacean waste, has emerged as a promising alternative due to its biodegradability, film-forming ability, biocompatibility, and antimicrobial activity. Despite its low mechanical properties, poor thermal stability, and high water permeability, advancements in chemical modifications, biopolymer blends, and nanocomposite reinforcement have significantly enhanced its functionality. In addition, its abundant availability and cost-effectiveness make it economically and commercially viable. This review provides comprehensive insights into chitosan's molecular structure, including the backbones and their functions. Additionally, it elucidates the physicochemical and biological properties, modification strategies, and the mechanisms underlying its antimicrobial and antioxidant activities. Moreover, the latest advancements in biosafety, cytocompatibility, and emerging applications in fresh food packaging are explicitly examined. By addressing current challenges and opportunities, this review highlights the potential of chitosan as a multifunctional biomaterial for sustainable food preservation, promoting its commercial adoption to replace single-use plastics. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-15T03:59:52Z |
| format | Article |
| id | ump-45324 |
| institution | Universiti Malaysia Pahang |
| institution_category | Local University |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-15T03:59:52Z |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| publisher | Elsevier Ltd |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | ump-453242025-08-09T14:01:06Z https://umpir.ump.edu.my/id/eprint/45324/ Chitosan as a sustainable alternative for fresh food packaging: Structural insights, modification strategies, and innovations for commercial viability Olunusi, Samuel Olugbenga Nor Hanuni, Ramli Fatmawati, Adam Hossain, Emran Kim, Tak H. TP Chemical technology The unparalleled physicochemical properties and techno-economic gain of single-use plastics have made their replacement in fresh food packaging highly challenging. However, their increasing non-biodegradability and microplastic pollution across ecosystems have highlighted the urgent need for biodegradable, sustainable, and multifunctional biomaterials. Chitosan, derived from partially deacetylated chitin from crustacean waste, has emerged as a promising alternative due to its biodegradability, film-forming ability, biocompatibility, and antimicrobial activity. Despite its low mechanical properties, poor thermal stability, and high water permeability, advancements in chemical modifications, biopolymer blends, and nanocomposite reinforcement have significantly enhanced its functionality. In addition, its abundant availability and cost-effectiveness make it economically and commercially viable. This review provides comprehensive insights into chitosan's molecular structure, including the backbones and their functions. Additionally, it elucidates the physicochemical and biological properties, modification strategies, and the mechanisms underlying its antimicrobial and antioxidant activities. Moreover, the latest advancements in biosafety, cytocompatibility, and emerging applications in fresh food packaging are explicitly examined. By addressing current challenges and opportunities, this review highlights the potential of chitosan as a multifunctional biomaterial for sustainable food preservation, promoting its commercial adoption to replace single-use plastics. Elsevier Ltd 2025 Article PeerReviewed pdf en https://umpir.ump.edu.my/id/eprint/45324/1/Chitosan%20as%20a%20sustainable%20alternative%20for%20fresh%20food%20packaging.pdf Olunusi, Samuel Olugbenga and Nor Hanuni, Ramli and Fatmawati, Adam and Hossain, Emran and Kim, Tak H. (2025) Chitosan as a sustainable alternative for fresh food packaging: Structural insights, modification strategies, and innovations for commercial viability. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 318 (Part 2). pp. 1-18. ISSN 0141-8130. (Published) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2025.145065 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2025.145065 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2025.145065 |
| spellingShingle | TP Chemical technology Olunusi, Samuel Olugbenga Nor Hanuni, Ramli Fatmawati, Adam Hossain, Emran Kim, Tak H. Chitosan as a sustainable alternative for fresh food packaging: Structural insights, modification strategies, and innovations for commercial viability |
| title | Chitosan as a sustainable alternative for fresh food packaging: Structural insights, modification strategies, and innovations for commercial viability |
| title_full | Chitosan as a sustainable alternative for fresh food packaging: Structural insights, modification strategies, and innovations for commercial viability |
| title_fullStr | Chitosan as a sustainable alternative for fresh food packaging: Structural insights, modification strategies, and innovations for commercial viability |
| title_full_unstemmed | Chitosan as a sustainable alternative for fresh food packaging: Structural insights, modification strategies, and innovations for commercial viability |
| title_short | Chitosan as a sustainable alternative for fresh food packaging: Structural insights, modification strategies, and innovations for commercial viability |
| title_sort | chitosan as a sustainable alternative for fresh food packaging: structural insights, modification strategies, and innovations for commercial viability |
| topic | TP Chemical technology |
| url | https://umpir.ump.edu.my/id/eprint/45324/ https://umpir.ump.edu.my/id/eprint/45324/ https://umpir.ump.edu.my/id/eprint/45324/ |