Biodegradable Starch Based Foam and its Modification Methods: A-Review

Foam packaging involves long-term storage and protection of a variety of foods against physical, chemical and biological agents. Polymer foams are safe and recommended for many applications due to their very light weight, high versatility, durability, mold resistance and good appearance. This has led to high production and consumption of these materials, and due to the non-biodegradability of these materials, they have caused a lot of environmental concerns. Therefore, significant efforts have been made to develop environmentally friendly alternatives, especially in the case of starch foams. Because starch is a cheap, available, abundant, renewable and biodegradable biopolymer. These properties make starch the most important biopolymer for the development of biodegradable films, but the starch itself is relatively weak and water-sensitive. To improve the thermal and mechanical properties, moldability, water impermeability and other properties of starch-based foams, many approaches such as chemical modification of starch, combination with various biodegradable polymers, combination with natural fibers and the addition of nano-fillers are proposed.