Bioplásticos e compósitos à base de amido para embalagens alimentícias de uso único: propriedades, limitações e desafios ambientais

Abstract

The widespread use of plastics in everyday life, combined with a culture of disposability, has resulted in the generation of large volumes of waste over short periods of time. The food packaging sector accounts for approximately 40% of global plastic consumption, with single-use packaging predominating. Due to contamination resulting from direct contact with food, these materials present limitations for reuse and recycling and are therefore predominantly disposed of in landfills or released into the environment, causing significant impacts on terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Consequently, only about 5% of these packages are effectively recycled and reintegrated into the production of new materials. In this context, replacing conventional petroleum-derived plastics with biodegradable packaging emerges as a promising strategy to mitigate such environmental impacts. Starch has attracted particular interest due to its abundance and renewability and can exhibit thermoplastic behavior when processed in the presence of plasticizers, moisture, and heat, which enables its shaping through conventional polymer processing techniques. This narrative review aimed to synthesize recent advances in the production of starch-based bioplastics and composites through a bibliographic search conducted in databases such as Google Scholar, ScienceDirect, and PubMed. Articles published between 2008 and February 2026 were considered in order to compile and discuss the main physicochemical properties of these materials, as well as their limitations. In general, starch-based bioplastics and composites enable the development of more sustainable materials with a lower carbon footprint compared to fossil-based plastics. These materials also stand out due to their low cost and high biodegradability relative to other biopolymers, as well as their potential integration into circular economy models through composting or biogas production. However, limitations related to mechanical properties and high sensitivity to water still restrict their application, although these drawbacks can be partially overcome through strategies such as the incorporation of additives and the formation of blends with other biodegradable polymers. In summary, the analyzed studies indicate that starch-based materials constitute a promising alternative to conventional plastics in disposable food packaging applications.