Biopolymers can be natural compounds formed by animals, plants, bacteria, and fungus, or chemically synthesized polymers made from biological components such as sugars, amino acids, oils, or natural lipids. The relevance of many biopolymers in living organisms is determined by how they interact with other polymers. Biopolymers have a wide range of applications in the food industries and biomedical science. Biopolymers are a broad group of polymers with numerous applications in food packaging, wrapping, and biomedical science.
Moldable plastic manufactured from chemical components obtained from or synthesized by microbes such as bacteria or genetically engineered plants are called bioplastics. Bioplastics, unlike typical plastics made from petroleum, are made from renewable resources, and certain bioplastics are biodegradable. Bioplastics currently account for a small percentage of total global plastic manufacturing. Low yields and high costs hamper commercial manufacturing methods.