Open Access

ARTICLE

Sustainable Biopolymer Packaging Utilizing Non-Food-Competing Starches Derived from Rubber Cassava and Banana Wastes

Fitra Yurid^1,2, Nadiatus Silmi³, Heni Rachmawati^4,5, Nanda Nagara², Riyanti Ekafitri⁶, Athanasia Amanda Septevani^2,7,*

1 Master’s Program in Nanotechnology, Graduate School, Institut Teknologi Bandung, Bandung, 40132, Indonesia
2 Research Center for Electronics, National Research and Innovation Agency, Bandung, 40135, Indonesia
3 Research Center for Environmental and Clean Technology, National Research and Innovation Agency, Bandung, 40135, Indonesia
4 Research Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Institut Teknologi Bandung, Bandung, 40132, Indonesia
5 School of Pharmacy, Institut Teknologi Bandung, Bandung, 40132, Indonesia
6 Research Center for Food Technology and Processing, National Research and Innovation Agency, Yogyakarta, 55861, Indonesia
7 Research Collaboration Center for Electrochemistry, BRIN-UNDIP, Semarang, 50275, Indonesia

* Corresponding Author: Athanasia Amanda Septevani. Email:

(This article belongs to the Special Issue: Biomass-based Thermoset and Thermoplastic Polymers for Biomass-based Composites)

Journal of Renewable Materials 2026, 14(2), 5 https://doi.org/10.32604/jrm.2025.02025-0118

Received 23 July 2025; Accepted 30 October 2025; Issue published 25 February 2026

Abstract

This study investigates the potential of starch extracted from underutilized agro-industrial resources as non-food-competing raw materials for the development of flexible bioplastics for food packaging applications. Starch was extracted from three biomass sources: rubber cassava (Manihot glaziovii), banana stem, and banana peel from Ambonese banana (Musa acuminata L.). Rubber cassava starch (S_RC) exhibited the highest starch yield (50.68 ± 0.28%), significantly surpassing banana stem (S_BS, 14.20 ± 0.25%) and banana peel (S_BP, 3.07 ± 0.15%). The amylose contents of S_RC, S_BS, and S_BP were 28.18%, 52.80%, and 56.57%, respectively, while their amylopectin contents were 71.83%, 47.20%, and 43.43%. FTIR spectra confirmed the absence of cyanogenic groups in S_RC, indicating its safety for packaging applications. XRD analysis revealed that PS_RC films were predominantly amorphous, while PS_BS and PS_BP showed higher crystallinity. The enhancement of mechanical properties, specifically PS_BS, showed the highest tensile strength at 16.04 ± 0.56 MPa, whereas PS_RC demonstrated the highest elongation at break at 23.57 ± 0.40%, which could be attributed to the inherent characteristics of the starch sources. Additionally, PS_RC film exhibited the highest transparency at 60.2%, the greatest water solubility at 34.92%, and the lowest water contact angle at 41.58°, confirming its more hydrophilic nature compared to other films. This work highlights the potential of low-cost, sustainable, and non-food agro-industrial starch sources as promising candidates for the development of flexible, eco-friendly bioplastics.

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