**3.5 Applications of PHA in the food industry**

The packaging industry is responsible for the consumption of more than 40% of the total plastic produced worldwide. Food packaging accounts for about half of this percentage. The excessive use and unconscious disposal of disposable plastics cause large amounts of plastic waste. Therefore, packaging materials that are not easily recyclable, in particular, need to be converted from nonbiodegradable plastics to biodegradable plastics, such as PHAs [122, 123]. **Figure 3** shows the different applications of PHAs. Having good barrier properties to gases and water, PHAs are hydrophobic, thermoplastic, and nontoxic to humans and nature. Because of these material properties, PHAs become suitable for packaging materials [124, 125]. The three most commonly used bio-based plastics for packaging are PLA, starch-based plastics, and cellophane [126].

**Figure 3.** *Varied applications of PHAs.*

#### *Perspective Chapter: Development of Food Packaging Films from Microorganism-Generated… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.108802*

PHAs are an important biodegradable packaging material used as films, foils, etc., and such barrier-coated packaging keeps oxygen and moisture inside the packaging [127, 128]. The film-forming feature of PHA provides a protective barrier against oxygen and UV rays. PHA can be used as food packaging material and has similar properties to polypropylene. PHA is insoluble in water and resistant to water and hydrophobic [129, 130]. Today, boxes, paper, boards, and cardboard are available in the market as coated with PHA [131]. PHA is used in the food industry for interior surface coatings in beverage and milk packaging. Studies have been conducted to show that they can be used instead of PP and HDPE in the packaging of foods with high-fat content, such as ready-made sauces, mayonnaise, and margarine cream [5, 132, 133]. Many companies are focusing on food packaging materials that combine conventional packaging materials with nanoparticles, thereby improving the mechanical performance of the packaging material and providing antimicrobial properties [128]. Castro-Mayorga et al. [134] synthesized an antimicrobial PHA containing silver nanoparticles and an active food that inhibits the growth of *Salmonella enterica*. They developed active food packaging.

In recent years, PHAs have become available as packaging materials for foodrelated products, such as straws and bottles. Danimer Scientific, who developed the first fully biodegradable plastic straw made of NodaxTM PHA in 2018. In addition, the Cove developed drink bottles, which were made completely of PHAs in 2019, California. Containers mix the soil in about 5 years; however, traditional PET plastic bottles can take around 500 years to decompose. Food and beverage manufacturing company Nestle has recently started work with Danimer Scientific to develop biodegradable plastic bottles [135, 136]. Yield10 agricultural bioscience company is the largest holding in the PHA industry with an annual production capacity of 50,000 tons [137]. Global biodegradable plastic materials are used in a variety of applications, and the packaging industry is the largest contributor, contributing 60% of global bioplastic production [138].
