Gelatin, Chitosan, and Beeswax Based Edible Packaging for Food Product: A Review

The widespread use of petroleum-based plastic packaging as food packaging has raised many concerns regarding the negative impact on the environment. The increase of public awareness on environmental problems and the importance of food safety has encouraged a lot of research regarding the development of environmentally friendly food packaging that is safe for food products, such as edible packaging. Gelatin, chitosan, and beeswax have attracted attention in edible packaging research due to their biodegradability and good film-forming characteristics. Chitosan and beeswax have also been reported to have antimicrobial properties that can improve the functional properties of edible packaging. Various studies have been carried out to obtain alternative packaging from a combination of these materials. This article reviews the potential application of edible packaging made from gelatin, chitosan, beeswax and their composites as packaging for food products.