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35 Edible Coatings and Films from Agricultural and Marine Food Wastes

like shells, skins, and muscle wastes. Among all the sea living varieties, crustaceans

contribute a lot of waste by-products, nearly 75% of its total weight [7]. Huge

mountain of agri- and marine-based food-related wastage has been generated by

industries in the process of production of valuable products. It was discarded as a

waste, even though most part of it has the potential to be utilized in some other

manner [7]. Agricultural and marine waste can be used for recovering biopolymers

which can be used for making biodegradable packaging.

Biopolymers like hydrocolloids (proteins, carbohydrates, and lipids) are obtained

from agri-biowastes such as husk, fruit peels, seeds and stalks, grain wastes, and

so on [2]. Some of these wastes are rich in bioactive compounds which are bene-

ficial for many purposes. So, the scientific research on the utilization of bio-based

material is on the top of interest. The antimicrobial and antioxidant properties will

influence the quality and shelf life of the food items. The marine-based by-products

include chitosan and gelatin [8]. The best compound that can be extracted from the

sea waste is chitosan which can be obtained by deacetylation of chitin. It can be

utilized as biopolymer and has antimicrobial and antioxidant properties, and it can

be used as the bioactive film for food preservation [9]. However, the main motive

of edible packaging is to isolate food from the surrounding environment, limiting

exposure to spoilage variables (microbial, mechanical damage, and physical), thus

expanding the food shelf life [3]. These edible films also provide antimicrobial and

antioxidation protection [2]. The global market size of commercial edible film and

coating valued at US $697 million in 2016 and expected to reach US $1097 million

by the end of 2023 [10]. Plasticizers are used to reduce the film’s brittleness and

improve the flexibility and pliability [1]. The functional properties of edible pack-

aging material vary depending on the nature of the raw material used as biopoly-

mer. Protein- and carbohydrate-based film shows good mechanical properties but

lacks the moisture barrier due to their hydrophilic nature [6]. The inferior proper-

ties of mechanical barrier can be enhanced by adding reinforcing agents such as

fibers and cross-linking agents [11]. The degree of biodegradable kinetics depends

on the nature of the biopolymer and filler used to improve the properties. Applica-

tion and utilization of food by-products for the production of polymers and bioactive

compounds will provide a new way of developing packaging material which will be

feasible alternative to the plastic polymers and also offers an advantage of reduction

of food waste composts and safeguard the environment [5].

35.2

Sources of Food Waste

The materials used in the film/coating preparation of food material can be obtained

from renewable resources extracted from the agricultural wastes which mainly

include the fruit, vegetable, grain, and marine wastes, and their by-products. It

should be Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) to consider as an eatable [12]

and should be utilized as per the directions and guidelines of the Food and Drug

Administration (FDA), United States of America and other relevant regulatory

bodies’s guidelines. The main components in the formation of edible coatings and

films are biopolymers and additive.