Optimizing polylactic acid: synthesis, properties, and regulatory strategies for food packaging applications

Abstract

Polylactic acid, a biodegradable polymer derived from renewable resources, is increasingly used in food packaging due to its transparency, renewability, and food safety. However, its mechanical properties, heat resistance, and barrier performance present significant challenges that limit its application. Currently, there is a lack of comprehensive literature addressing methods to optimize polylactic acid’s performance for various food packaging application. Hence, this review provides an overview of polylactic acid production processes, including the synthesis of lactic acid and lactide, as well as methods such as polycondensation and ring-opening polymerization. We critically examine the advantages and limitations of polylactic acid in various food packaging contexts, focusing on strategies to enhance its mechanical properties, barrier performance against oxygen and water vapor, surface hydrophobicity, thermal stability, and resistance to ultraviolet light. Furthermore, we summarize recent advancements in polylactic acid applications for food packaging, highlighting innovations in antioxidant, antimicrobial, and freshness indicator packaging. These developments underscore the significant potential of polylactic acid in the food packaging sector and offer valuable insights for future research directions.

Graphical abstract

Keywords

polylactic acid / biodegradable packaging materials / mechanical property / barrier property / food packaging applications

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the “14th Five-Year Plan” National Key Research and Development Plan Project (Grant No. 2023YFE0105500). This research was successfully completed under the support of the collaborative project titled ‘Research and Application of High Transparent and High Strength Degradable Polylactic Acid (PLA) Membrane’ (Contract No. 2023-0166) with Wuhan Hongzhicai Packaging and Printing Company. We are grateful to Dr. Shuting Huang from the School of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, for her invaluable assistance in refining the language and improving the clarity of our manuscript.

Competing interests

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

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