The detrimental effects of petroleum-based packaging materials on the environment are well-known and to combat this problem, biodegradable materials are constantly being analyzed to determine their suitability as packaging systems. Packaging material decides the success of farm to fork journey in the food industry, especially for the perishable foods. A number of materials derived from natural sources have been identified and studied for their packaging potential, and carrageenan is one of them. Chemically, a sulfated polysaccharide, carrageenan is not a new entry in the food industry; it is in use from a long time as a gelling and thickening agent and currently it is being investigated as a biodegradable packaging material. This review explores the need of biodegradable packaging materials and highlights why carrageenan is a good alternative to the conventional packaging systems. It integrates the film-forming properties and structural characteristics of carrageenan with its functionalization for active packaging applications. It provides a comprehensive overview of the film composition, properties, and overall benefits, as well as a discussion of numerous studies that have effectively employed carrageenan-based films as an active packaging material. The future prospects and limitations have also been briefly addressed.
Habib et al. (Wed,) studied this question.