Open Access

REVIEW

Advances in Research of Molded Pulp for Food Packaging

by Yifan Liu¹, Shufeng Ma², Feijie Wang¹, Liqiang Wang^1,*

1 Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Food Advanced Manufacturing Equipment Technology, Wuxi, 214122, China
2 School of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China

* Corresponding Author: Liqiang Wang. Email:

(This article belongs to the Special Issue: Food Packaging Materials Based on Renewable Resources)

Journal of Renewable Materials 2023, 11(11), 3831-3846. https://doi.org/10.32604/jrm.2023.028251

Received 07 December 2022; Accepted 13 February 2023; Issue published 31 October 2023

Abstract

The molded pulp, a product of three-dimensional papermaking technology, is environmentally friendly and has a low environmental impact due to its ability to decompose quickly in the natural environment after disposal. The application of molded pulp for food packaging can replace or reduce the use of plastic food packaging. Researchers extract fibers from plants for the production of safe and hygienic molded pulp for food packaging, and they also study and enhance the qualities of molded pulp to broaden its use in the food industry. This paper reviews the sources and varieties of plant fiber used in molded pulp for food packaging, as well as research on the improvement and optimization of the performance of molded pulp products. Additionally, issues with molded pulp’s actual use for food packaging are reviewed, along with the potential for future research. This work can serve as a reference for molded pulp applications and research in the food industry in the future.

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