A review of cellulose and its derivatives in biopolymer-based for food packaging application

Food packaging is a globally relevant and widely used technique for food preservation. Natural, biodegradable, and bioavailable polymers are gaining popularity in the field of food packaging. Cellulose and its derivatives are amongst the most abundant and widely used polymers in the packaging industry. There are many natural sources for cellulose, and they can also be obtained from bio-wastes and agricultural wastes. Thus, it is available in large quality and is cost effective. In this review, we discussed the importance, functioning, properties, and characteristics of cellulose and its derivatives for food packaging. The application of cellulose in food packaging from the discovery of cellulose in 1839–2020 was introduced in this article. Which includes its use for the preservation of fruits and vegetables is discussed in detail, and its application as carrier of various natural antibacterial and antioxidant compounds was introduced. Various types of composite films prepared using cellulose and its derivatives are also discussed in this review. Furthermore, numerous functional properties of cellulose have been mentioned. Cellulose is one of the most important polymers in the food industry. This study explores its properties and its encapsulations and stabilization of compounds without altering their properties. Through extensive study of existing literature on the subject, this review compiles the information relevant to the use of cellulose in food preservation. In addition, various future considerations are further presented. •Cellulose is one of the most abundantly used polymers.•Cellulose and its derivatives are widely used in food packaging industry.•Bio-waste and residues from various foods are main sources of cellulose.•The mixture of cellulose can form antibacterial and antioxidant bioactive compounds.•They have unique properties that can be used for food packaging.