BIODEGRADABLE POLYMERS FOR FOOD PACKAGING

Greetings everyone! Tomorrow is children's day in India. So I wish all the little children a very happy and a joyous children's day. Children's day reminds me of chocolates, candies, sweets, fun, games, gifts, toys, plastics... Plastics?? Almost all children's toys are made of plastics. 

"Plastics and Children"- dead enemies ever. Pediatricians advice parents to avoid plastic containers for packing their children's food and drinks. As the plastic containers releases Bisphenol A (BPA), which acts like an artificial oestrogen in our body. Artificial estrogen are not carcinogenic alone but also affects kidney and liver. Estrogen is a female sex hormone which can lead to early puberty in females or can cause infertility in men. 

So dump all the plastic containers and bottles and start using the metallic ones. Isn't it a best way to stay healthy and plastic free? Good idea! but where actually to dump these plastics is a big question? They are non biodegradable, burning of it releases toxic gases such as dioxins, furans, PVCs which pollutes atmosphere as well as human health. Hence, we cannot simply dump the plastics on ground as there are chances of soil being polluted because of it. I cannot imagine that day where soil is sealed up with plastic bottles and bags. So what's the better option we are left with? 

Paper bags? No, it do not stay longer. 

Fabric bags? No, it cannot be used everywhere. 

Is there any other alternatives??

Yes. "Biodegradable polymers", is the perfect alternative for the plastics. Department of food packaging and technology, CFTRI Mysore, has a very exceptional way to make use of plant cellulose as biodegradable polymers. 

'Cellulose' is a polysaccharide chiefly found in the cell wall of plants and algae. Primary function of cellulose is to provide protection to the plant cell. It is fibrous in nature and found mainly in cotton, bamboo fibres, coir fibers, hemp and others. Since cotton is easily available, cotton fibers are used for the preparation of biodegradable polymers. 

 Cellulose/cotton fibers are dipped in a solution containing 7% NaOH and 12% urea.

 The obtained cellulose solution is subjected to casting and coagulation.

 Then the cellulose gel is regenerated and give suitable shape.

  The obtained cellulose film looks exactly like a plastic film. It is transparent, easy to wrap and furthermore its a biodegradable polymer. 

The biodegradable polymers like regenerated cellulose films are safe to the environment and out of harm's way to children as well as grown ups. So try to avoid plastics. Go green, stay healthy, protect our environment by saying 

"NO TO PLASTICS"

I extend my gratitude to the department of food packaging and technology and CFTRI for the kind cooperation and providing me the necessary information.