030070131 Mehmet Can ÇAPAR, 5th week definitions (Part 5)

5-Biodegradable Package (A Packaging Technology)

(Old Answer)


Biodegradation means fragmentation, loss of mechanical properties or sometimes degradation through the action of living organsims. Biopolymer based packaging materials allows consideration of eliminating issues such as landfilling, sorting and reprocessing through compostability.

(Handbook of biodegradable polymers, Catia Bastioli, pg 4)


(New Answer) (Better)



Edible and/or biodegradable packages formed with several compounds (composite or complex materials) 
have been developed to take advantage of the complementary functional properties of the different
constituent materials, and to overcome their respective drawbacks. Most composite films studied to
date combine one several polyester (or lipid) compounds with a hydrocolloid-based one. The future
of edible and/or biodegradable materials is therefore probably dependent on the development of 
applications where some of their preferential properties (such as gas selectivity) are enhanced,
or on the development of composite materials

 (Editor:: Jung H. Han, Innovations in food packaging, pg:274)