LOW-TEMPERATURE MECHANICAL PROCESSING AS A SUSTAINABLE SOLUTION FOR TRANSPARENT FOOD PACKAGING MATERIAL

The transition toward sustainable food packaging has intensified interest in biobased and biodegradable polymers.However, achieving transparency, mechanical strength, and environmental compatibility remains a challenge under conventional high-temperature processing.This paper highlights low-temperature mechanical processing (LTMP) as a scalable and energy-efficient strategy for fabricating transparent packaging materials.Techniques such as ambient-temperature rolling, low-temperature compression molding, and post-casting stretching are examined in relation to their impact on polymer microstructure, additive retention, and optical clarity.Recent studies on polylactic acid (PLA), polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA), starch blends, cellulose-reinforced compounds, and nanocellulose composites demonstrate that LTMP can yield films with tensile strengths exceeding 300 MPa and haze values below 5%.Comparative tables and performance data underscore LTMP's potential to replace conventional methods while supporting circular economy goals.LTMP offers a