Physicochemical, thermomechanical stability and biodegradability analysis of avocado seed starch-glycerol-bagasse cellulose-based composite for food packaging bioplastics

Disposable food packaging is single-use plastic items designed for a single use. Nowadays, many nations are introducing food packaging made from biodegradable, eco-friendly materials. In this context, the current study aims to develop and evaluate a biodegradable food packaging material from widely available natural feedstocks such as avocado seed starch, reinforced with sugarcane bagasse cellulose fiber (ranging from 0% to 15%), and glycerol (ranging from 3 to 5 mL), as a plasticizer, using the conventional experimental design. Physicochemical properties of avocado seed starch were characterized. Subsequently, the prepared bioplastic was analyzed for its physical-chemical, mechanical, thermal, structural, morphological, and biodegradability properties. Results showed that increasing glycerol resulted in an increase in water vapor penetration (from 9.31 × 10⁻¹² ± 0.30–9.67 × 10⁻¹² ± 0.76 g/s.m.Pa), elongation at break (34.47 ± 0.16% to 39.70 ± 0.31%), and thermal stability, and decreases in density, tensile strength (2.91 ± 0.18–1.57 ± 0.02 MPa), and transmittance. The addition of sugarcane bagasse cellulose fiber (0–15%) increased density, tensile strength, and thermal stability. Conversely, it reduced the transmittance (83.54 ± 0.21–67.03 ± 0.05), water vapor permeability (5.38 × 10⁻¹² ± 0.41–3.58 × 10⁻¹² ± 0.15 g/(s·m·Pa), and elongation at break (33.01 ± 0.03% to 27.63 ± 0.30%). The bioplastic completely biodegraded in soil within a shorter duration (15 days) under controlled conditions, demonstrating its potential as an eco-friendly alternative to conventional plastics. But not always in natural environments; their real-world benefits depend on proper waste management, infrastructure, and application-specific performance limitations. This research indicated that a bioplastic made from starch, reinforced with 15% sugarcane bagasse cellulose fiber, was produced. This method successfully produced biodegradable disposable food packaging cups in a laboratory environment.