New Perspectives in Science Education

The concern with the development of new polymeric materials, as well as with their selection for application in products, is growing since the world demand for polymers has increased. Geyer estimates that in 2050, the global production of this type of material could reach 550 million tons, 40% more than in 2016. This information cause great concern since most of the polymers currently produced are obtained from petroleum, a non-renewable source. The high use of this material can lead to an energy crisis, in addition to increasing environmental pollution. Therefore, alternative materials have been investigated in the search for an alternative that would neither jeopardize the environment nor harm the economy. Thus, the development of biopolymers could be a viable solution to this demand. The use of biopolymers has been widely studied as an alternative to petroleum-based polymers due to their biocompatibility and biodegradability. Furthermore, it covers wide areas of application, such as the food and biomedical industries. Biopolymers and edible polymers can have numerous applications, from being used on the surface of food, to the use in the biomedical area in devices for drug delivery and tissue engineering. Also, in the cosmetic area, biopolymers see its popularity extend due to its biocompatibility as well as the for the improvement of the texture of medical formulations. Thus considering, this work consists of a literature review aiming to analyze the main aspects of these materials, highlight the raw materials, the main characteristics and their applications related to food as well as medical applications. The analysis covers different kinds of edible polymers, such as starch, pectin and chitosan among others. Afterwards, the work present kinds os processing methods and applications, and discusses advantages and disadvantages of its use. In the end, the degradation of biopolymers is analyzed as well as its lifecycle.

Keywords: biopolymers, edible polymers, sustainability.

Juliana Augusta Lopes de Mendonça, UEMG, Brasil ([email protected])