Consumer demands and requirements by regulatory agencies to use more environmentally friendly and less polluting packaging have directed researchers to consider packaging materials that are naturally derived or made from renewable resources to replace or reduce use of synthetic polymers. Biodegradable and/or edible films have the potential to reduce some traditional synthetic polymeric packaging materials for specific applications. In recent years, biodegradable films prepared with animal and vegetable proteins have received increasing attention and are increasingly being used in the food-packaging industry due to their relative abundance, film-formation capacity, biodegradability, and nutritional value. However, the ideal protein films for food-packaging application should be strong, be elastic, and have very low permeability. The aim of this review is to offer a comprehensive view of recent state-of-the-art protein-based films as biodegradable materials applicable to food packaging with special reference to the application and combination of technological advances. Such advances include plasticization, cross-linking techniques, nanotechnology, and composite films. The results indicate that the functional properties of protein films are still not comparable with those of synthetic films, but there are promising potential methodologies that might further improve the mechanical and barrier properties of protein-based films. Nanocomposite films with well-controlled structures comprise an up-and-coming area of research. Research into nanocomposite film includes the opportunity to design biofilms and packaging materials with the precisely desired functional properties. By employing natural agents with antimicrobial and antioxidant properties, these materials promise to provide maintenance during storage time and to increase the shelf life of food products.

消费者对监管机构使用更环保，污染更少的包装的要求和要求，已使研究人员考虑使用天然衍生或由可再生资源制成的包装材料来代替或减少合成聚合物的使用。可生物降解和/或可食用的薄膜具有减少某些用于特定用途的传统合成聚合物包装材料的潜力。近年来，用动植物蛋白制备的可生物降解膜由于其相对丰度，成膜能力，生物降解性和营养价值而受到越来越多的关注，并越来越多地用于食品包装行业。但是，用于食品包装的理想蛋白质薄膜应坚固，有弹性且渗透性极低。这篇综述的目的是全面介绍最新的基于蛋白质的薄膜，这些薄膜是可生物降解的材料，适用于食品包装，并特别参考了技术进步的应用和组合。这些进步包括增塑，交联技术，纳米技术和复合膜。结果表明，蛋白膜的功能特性仍无法与合成膜相媲美，但存在有望改善蛋白基膜的机械性能和阻隔性能的潜在方法。具有良好控制的结构的纳米复合薄膜是一个新兴的研究领域。纳米复合膜的研究包括设计具有精确所需功能特性的生物膜和包装材料的机会。