Bio-nanocomposites and their potential applications in physiochemical properties of cheese: an updated review

Cheese is a perishable commodity due to the dynamic biochemical and microbiological changes that occur throughout its manufacture, ripening, and marketing. Consequently, the cheese sector relies heavily on packaging. Growing environmental concerns regarding non-biodegradable cheese manufacturing and packaging components have motivated research into bio-nanomaterials as an alternative. By controlling the O2 and CO2 exchange rates and functioning as a vehicle for antimicrobial compounds, bio-nanocomposite sheets might be employed to minimize cheese’s weight loss and microbial breakdown. Bio-nanocomposites are organic polymeric materials made of two major components, one of which serves as a biopolymer structure (continuous phase) and the other as a reinforced material (dispersed phase) with dimensions between 1 and 100 nm. These components share characteristics such as flexibility, biocompatibility, biodegradability, green composites, and affordability. Bio-nanocomposites employed as antibacterial agents in the food coatings industry may inhibit the growth of microorganisms on food substrates, hence increasing the shelf life of the product. The beneficial antibacterial activity of bio-nanocomposites shows that they have several applications in the food industry. In this article, we will discuss the advantages and features of bio-nanocomposite films or coatings put to cheese slices in order to increase storage duration and reduce the usage of non-biodegradable materials. This study discusses the most recent scientific findings pertaining to bio-packaging ingredients and cheese variants.