Bamboo as a green alternative for disposable food contact materials: review of technological development and commercialization potential

The rapid growth of the catering and takeaway industries has driven up the use of plastic-based disposable tableware, posing serious risks to environmental sustainability and public health. Bamboo has been recognized as an effective alternative to disposable plastic food products, supporting sustainable development and the “dual carbon” initiative amid global plastic restrictions. In this review, the classification and characteristics of processing methods, product usage functions, and other attributes of bamboo disposable tableware were summarized, as well as the historical development of the industry. An analysis of import and export volumes of bamboo disposable products was conducted, with a particular emphasis on disposable tableware. A detailed examination of trade volumes and market shares of both the product categories and their subcategories was provided, along with an overview of the production status of bamboo disposable tableware. Then, the feasibility of the industry, highlighting the advantages of its natural resources, the necessity of ecological stability, the shift in global consumer demand, the vast market development potential, and the continuous improvement of technical processes was analyzed. Finally, a systematic summary of certain challenges was conducted, and corresponding recommendations were put forward.