Carbohydrate Nanomaterials Addition to Starch-Based Packaging: A Review about Fundamentals and Application

Starch-based packaging has been explored as an alternative to conventional plastics. However, the former material shows a poorer performance when compared with the latter. Carbohydrate nanomaterials addition has proved to be promising to solve this issue, improving mechanical and barrier properties. The use of carbohydrates nanomaterials has many advantages since the raw material is highly available in nature, obtained from renewable, low-cost, and non-toxic sources. This review shows the different methods of producing nanomaterials from the main carbohydrate sources, cellulose, chitosan, and starch. The study begins the approach with the most conventional method, acid hydrolysis, proceeding with the methods explored on a smaller scale such as enzymatic hydrolysis, oxidation, ultrasound, and electrospinning. Besides, the study shows works involving the production of starch-based nanocomposites and discussions about the improvement of its properties promoted by the addition of these nanomaterials. Works in the literature have shown starch-based nanocomposites with higher crystallinity, transparency, thermal stability, reinforcement, oxygen barrier, lower water absorption, and even anti-microbial activity, making them suitable for packaging. Finally, the future perspectives of this research field are shown and discussed . (AU)