Background. Food packaging plays a crucial role throughout the product life-cycle, serving protective, informational and marketing functions. It should be durable, functional, safe and cost-effective. Nonbiodegradable synthetic materials, primarily derived from petroleum, dominate the global production of food packaging. In recent years, intensive research has been focused on the development and improvement of both biodegradable and non-biodegradable packaging made from polymers derived from renewable resources. These so-called bioplastics exhibit properties similar to synthetic materials, but offer additional benefits, including improved functionality and compostability. Starch which is used particularly as a base for producing edible films and thermoplastic starch (TPS) appears particularly promising in this regard.
Results and Conclusions. The aim of the study was to discuss the latest legal regulations regarding packaging and the management of packaging waste in Poland and Europe. An overview of previous research achievements was presented concerning the development of new, competitive materials for packaging derived from renewable resources, with a specific focus on starch as a promising substrate for innovative biopackaging. The limitations arising from the use of natural polymers as substitutes for synthetic materials were also discussed, along with potential challenges for the packaging industry. Attempts to produce innovative multilayer materials, composites with polyolefins, materials with nanostructures, active and intelligent packaging and packaging based on waste products from food industry were outlined. Based on literature reports, it can be concluded that bioplastics derived from renewable polymers offer an
interesting alternative to traditional synthetic packaging, with starch being a promising substrate for the production of edible films and composite materials.