Environment friendly green composites based on soy protein isolate - A review

As a result of the growing environmental awareness (e.g., increased pollution, increasing demand for biodegradable materials, material need for CO2 neutrality and low greenhouse gas emissions, new environmental laws and regulations), manufacturers and scientists are keen to study novel environmental friendly materials. Soy protein isolate (SPI), a protein with reproducible resource, good biocompatibility, biodegradability and processability has a significant potential in the food industry, agriculture, bioscience and biotechnology. The aim of this review is to offer a comprehensive view of the recent state of art of eco-materials based on Soy Protein Isolate (SPI) with special reference to organic and inorganic fillers in the macro, micro and nano scale. Moreover, some applications of SPI-based materials, especially in the field of food preservation and packaging technology, are also discussed. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.