Edible Bioplastic Films Prevent Transpiration

Approximately one-third of the food produced globally is not consumed; meanwhile, world hunger is still a rising issue. This puzzling situation is mainly attributed to the postharvest spoilage of fruits and vegetables, and transpiration plays an important role in this process. The use of plastic film packaging is an effective and convenient means to prevent transpiration. However, the overuse of plastics has resulted in serious environmental pollution and a microplastic crisis. In this study, edible bioplastic films based on soybean protein isolate (SPI), carrageenan (CA), glycerol and beeswax (BW) are successfully developed, and these films are comparable to polyethylene (PE) plastic films in terms of preventing the evaporation of water and the degradation of bioactive components in leafy vegetables and fruits. The addition of BW is found to weaken the intermolecular interactions between the protein and polysaccharides, leading to a more homogeneous microstructure. The presence of fatty alcohols and alkanes in BW significantly improves the hydrophobic properties of the edible films, facilitating both low water vapor permeability and solubility.