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5. Conclusions and Future Perspectives In the last decade, numerous studies have been conducted on the utilisation of natural fibres to replace conventional polymer applications. Several fibres have been extracted from plant resources such as hemp, sisal, kenaf, bamboo, jute, flax, banana and ramie. Chemical extractions and treatments including alkaline solutions, oxidising agents and coupling agents have been demonstrated to purify and improve the strength of fibre. Alternatively, physical treatments such as cold plasma treatments and steam explosion enhance the properties and purifications of extracted fibre, removing lignin, ash and other substances while increasing dimensional stability. These fibres have been recently utilised in food packaging as matrices, fillers and reinforcements by solution casting, melt mixing, hot pressing, compression moulding, injection moulding, etc. The incorporation of these natural fibres effectively improved the mechanical strength of the packaging. Further development of natural fibre-based food packaging materials can be proposed as follows: • The valorisation of natural fibres in the food packaging sector exhibited promising results. However, a long-lasting supply of raw materials is essential to ensure sustainability. • Environmentally friendly extraction/purification is ideal for the production of uniform- quality fibres. The modification of natural fibres needs to address environmental issues implied by chemical methods. • Natural fibres ensure the safety and protection of food by enhancing the mechanical properties of food packaging to resist physical damage. However, several other factors must be considered. The packaging must be designed to overcome degradation reactions and also be able to regulate gas and water barrier properties. The selection of natural fibres combined with the use of appropriate modification methods can prevent the formation of defects that would degrade the mechanical properties, while also enhancing packaging permeability. • The decontamination of natural fibres should comply with the regulations on food contact materials to guarantee the health of the consumer. This aspect is challenging when using natural fibres due to the presence of toxicological substances such as pesticides that could migrate to food from the packaging materials. • Consumer willingness to purchase economically competitive fully biocomposite alter- natives is still uncertain. The cost of biocomposites in food packaging materials needs to be regulated to improve the demand in local markets. The future use of natural fibres is highly recommended for packaging materials due to their cost-effectiveness and availability throughout the year. Author Contributions: Conceptualisation, H.P. and N.H.; methodology, H.P. and N.H.; validation, N.H.; investigation, H.P. and N.H.; writing—original draft preparation, H.P. and N.H.; writing— review and editing, H.P, S.A.V., V.C., T.N., L.J. and N.H.; supervision, N.H.; funding acquisition, N.H. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript. Funding: This research was funded by Kasetsart University Research and Development Institute, KURDI grant no. FF(KU)17.65 with financial support from the Office of the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation; and the Thailand Science Research and Innovation through the Kasetsart University Reinventing University Program 2022. Institutional Review Board Statement: Not applicable. Data Availability Statement: Not applicable. Conflicts of Interest: The authors declare no conflict of interest.
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