Unconventional Starch Sources for Sustainable Bioplastics

With growing environmental concerns and rising consumer demands for sustainable alternatives, industries are increasingly shifting toward eco-friendly materials. Traditional petroleum-based plastics are being re-evaluated due to their harmful ecological footprint, leading to a surge of interest in biopolymers. Among these, starch-based bioplastics have emerged as a promising solution due to their biodegradability, renewability, and reduced environmental impact. As the urgency for greener materials intensifies, there is a pressing need for comprehensive resources that explore both conventional and novel approaches to bioplastic development.

Unconventional Starch Sources for Sustainable Bioplastics addresses this need by offering in-depth insights into the latest advancements in starch-based bioplastics, with a unique focus on underutilized and nontraditional starch sources. Going beyond common crops, the book explores innovative materials such as marine, seaweeds, underutilized seeds, stems, tubers, and industrial by-products. It examines starch extraction techniques, processing methods, challenges in scalability, and the environmental implications of these alternatives. This book illustrates how these novel materials are being integrated into sectors such as packaging, agriculture, and biomedicine. Bridging scientific principles with practical applications, this book serves as a vital guide for researchers and students, as well as professionals in biopolymers, materials science, environmental science, food science, and related disciplines contributing meaningfully to the global pursuit of sustainable solutions.

Dr. Pinki Saini is presently working as Associate Professor at Centre of Food Technology, University of Allahabad. She completed degree of M.Sc. in Food Science and Technology in 2005 and Ph.D. in 2008 from G. B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar. She has 16 years of teaching and 18 years of research experience. She has supervised 6 Ph.D. thesis and 45 M.Sc. Dissertation. She has published more than 75 research/review papers in peer reviewed journals and conferences. She has a CSIR funded ongoing project folate fortification of selected millets through probiotic fermentation. Completed 2 sponsored research projects funded by Uttar Pradesh Council of Agricultural Research and granted one patent (Patent no.: 402984) by the Indian Patent Office. She has received an accession number MCC 4716 for depositing novel isolated strain as Lactiplantibacillus plantarum sp. strain ANPSCRLB at NCMR (Pune, Maharashtra). She has authored a book on “Bioprospecting of Microbial Resources for Agriculture, Environment and Bio-chemical Industry”, published by Springer. She has edited books on “Food and Industrial Bioprocessing” published by New India Publishing Agency (NIPA), India and “Biosorption Processes for Heavy Removal” published by IGI Global, USA. She also has more than 20 book chapters to her credit in national and international published books. Her research interests include bioprocessing of foods, fermentations studies, probiotics, biosorption of heavy metals, biofilm formation and sustainable polysaccharide based edible films from plant and microbial sources.

Dr. Mazia Ahmed has successfully completed her Ph.D. in Nutritional Sciences from Centre of Food Technology, University of Allahabad, Prayagraj, India. Her doctoral research focused on microbial cellulose production and its innovative applications in food packaging systems. She holds a Masters degree in Nutritional Sciences from the Centre of Food Technology, University of Allahabad (2018), and gained valuable practical experience as a dietetics intern at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, New Delhi. Her professional experience includes serving as an Analyst at the NABL-accredited Food Analysis and Research Laboratory (FARL). Dr. Ahmed has demonstrated her expertise through various publications, including research papers, review articles, and book chapters. Additionally, she is the author of her debut non- academic book, Eulogy for the Color Lavender, published in 2020.