# Sustainability in Bio-Based Edible Films, Coatings, and Packaging for Small Fruits
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**Material** & **Provenience** & **Applications** & **Properties** & **Ref.** \\ \hline \multirow{4}{*}{Starch} & \multirow{4}{*}{Starch (Vegetal origin)} & Food and beverage, cosmetics, & Enhanced shelf life and improved food safety; good printability and sealability, allowing for branding and labeling customization while ensuring product integrity and safety; Biodegradability, biocompatibility, high crystallinity, non-toxicity, hydrophilicity, & \multirow{4}{*}{[3]} \\  & & & & \\ \cline{1-1} \multirow{4}{*}{Cellulose} & \multirow{4}{*}{Truit waste media (orange, kiwi, and guava fruit peel, blended in 200 mL distilled water). (Microbial origin) A polysaccharide of N-acetyl D-glucosamine amine units, obtained by the partial deactivation of chitin exoskeletons of insects, cephalopods, and crustaceans. (Animal origin)} & Food, biomedical, biosensing, and environmental applications. & Antimicrobial activity, biocompatibility, and non-toxic profile \\ \cline{1-1} \multirow{4}{*}{Alginate} & \multirow{4}{*}{Alginate, a polysaccharide derived from brown macroalgae (Seaweed origin)} & \multirow{4}{*}{Packaging and storing perishable food items} & \multirow{4}{*}{Extend the freshness and shelf-life of Inribits lipid oxidation in meat and animal-based products; Allows respiration of fruit and vegetables; Antimicrobial properties.} \\ \cline{1-1} \cline{4-4} \cline{5-5}  & & & & \\ \hline \end{tabular}
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Table 1: Examples of bio-based edible film material, their provenance, application, and properties. The first edible coating, wax, was developed in 1992 and used on fruit surfaces [7]. An edible film or coating less than 0.3 mm thick uses biopolymers dispersed in water. Some authors use \"edible film\" and \"coating\" interchangeably, while others differentiate based on the food product's incorporation method. An edible film is previously made and then adhered to the food product [1], while the coating is formed directly on the food [2]. For other authors, the term \"edible coating\" is used when it has a thickness below 0.025 mm, whereas it is considered an \"edible film\" when the thickness is above 0.050 mm [7]. These films and coatings can slow spoilage by controlling moisture exchange and acting as barriers to gases like oxygen, which can lead to oxidation [8]. They can also be infused with flavors, nutrients, or active ingredients (such as antimicrobial agents), enhancing the taste or shelf life of the food [9]; since these films are biodegradable and made from renewable resources, they help reduce plastic waste and are within a circular economy view [10]. Sustainable packaging is essential to tackle traditional materials' environmental, social, and economic challenges [11]. Conventional packaging made from petroleum-based plastics poses serious environmental risks, including resource depletion, greenhouse gas emissions, pollution, and plastic waste accumulation in landfills and oceans [12]. These environmental impacts threaten ecological integrity and human health while worsening issues of injustice and inequity [13]. Sustainable packaging is a proactive approach aimed at reducing the negative impacts of packaging on the environment and society while fulfilling its essential functions like containment and protection. It considers the entire lifecycle of packaging materials, from sourcing to disposal. Key principles include using renewable resources, reducing material consumption, optimizing design, and promoting recyclability and biodegradability. Transitioning to sustainable packaging offers benefits such as environmental stewardship, resource efficiency, enhanced brand reputation, and consumer satisfaction. Additionally, it fosters innovation and value creation in the industry, making it a strategic and ethical responsibility to protect the planet for future generations [14; 15].