Researchers Turn Avocado Toast Into Biodegradable Food Packaging

• A strong yet degradable bioplastic made from avocado peels and stale bread tackles two global challenges: food waste and plastic pollution

 

By Anthropocene Team

 

Researchers in Australia have developed a scalable, cost-effective method to convert food waste into high-performance bioplastic films. The sustainable films made from avocado peels and stale bread and sago palm starch address the two critical global challenges of plastic pollution and food waste.

Besides food packaging, the bioplastics could also find use in biomedical, environmental, and pharmaceutical applications, the researchers write in the journal Matter.

“This method leverages underutilized waste materials, offering a cost-effective and environment-friendly alternative to conventional bioplastics,” the Deakin University researchers write. “The inherent biodegradability of the starch-based matrix further supports eco-friendly disposal and aligns with circular economy principles.”

About one-third of all food produced globally, or approximately 1.3 billion tons, is discarded or wasted annually. Researchers have been trying to turn this waste into useful materials such as bioplastics. The Deakin team, in fact, has in the past found a way to make biodegradable plastic films from bread, which is one of the most discarded foods in Australia. The high amount of starch in bread makes it an excellent material for film-making.

For the new study, they turned to another common food waste, avocado peels, to make a material that enhanced the mechanical properties of the bioplastic. Led by Mexico and the United States, the world consumes billions of avocados a year, producing millions of metric tons of avocado pit and peel waste.

Avocado waste contains valuable nutrients and compounds, such as antioxidants, oil, carbohydrates, and dietary fiber. Many researchers are trying to recover these compounds for use in the food, cosmetic or pharmaceutical industries and to make biofuels. One company in Mexico has developed a process to convert avocado pits into heat-resistant bioplastics for straws, cutlery, and packaging that degrade in a few months.

The Australian team used a hydrothermal process to convert avocado peels into microscopic spherical carbon particles called carbon dots. They incorporated the carbon dots into a starch blend made from stale bread and sago, and made bioplastic films with the material.

The films were stronger than films without carbon dots. They also allowed less air to pass through, which is a requirement for food packaging. Plus, they had strong antioxidant and antibacterial activity.

“Future work should focus on scaling up the [carbon dot] extraction and film fabrication process, optimizing gas and moisture transfer through multilayer or micro-perforated designs, and validating real-food applications, including fresh produce, meats, bakery items, and UV-sensitive snacks,” the researchers write.

 

 

Source: Shima Jafarzadeh et al. Bioactive Bioplastic Films Incorporating Waste-Derived Carbon Dots and Starch for Sustainable Packaging. Adv. Mater. 2026.

Image based on photo by Marco Verch