Systematic review reveals progress in starch-based film modifications alongside commercialization gaps, highlighting the need for safety and life cycle evaluations.
Key Points
To systematically evaluate research trends, processing techniques, functional modification strategies, and commercial translation barriers for starch-based biodegradable food packaging films.
Conducted a systematic and bibliometric review following PRISMA guidelines using Scopus and Web of Science databases covering publications from 2015 to January 2026.
Analyzed 164 research articles to assess starch origins, plasticizers, polymer blends, organic acid additives, fillers, chemical modifications, and characterization practices.
Solution casting was the primary manufacturing method in 82% of reviewed studies, while glycerol served as the plasticizer in 83% of plasticized formulations.
Filler-based reinforcement became the leading recent modification strategy, accounting for 51 of 96 articles published between 2023 and 2026.
Commercial readiness metrics were largely absent across the literature, with migration testing, techno-economic analyses, and life cycle assessments appearing in only 4.3%, 1.8%, and 1.8% of studies, respectively.
Cite This Study
Castillo-Cifuentes et al. (2026) studied this question.