<![CDATA[The increasing use of plastic packaging in food supply chains poses environmental concerns due to resource consumption and the potential generation of plastic waste. This study aims to evaluate the environmental impacts of plastic packaging using Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), identify critical impact hotspots, and develop a green packaging alternative based on starch bioplastic. The LCA was conducted using a cradle-to-gate system boundary with SimaPro and the Eco-costs 2024 V1 method across three packaging scenarios: polyethylene (PE), multilayer packaging, and polylactide (PLA). The bioplastic was developed using three formulations: F1 (glycerol), F2 (glycerol and CMC), and F3 (glycerol, CMC, and ginger extract), and was evaluated based on thickness, tensile strength, and elongation at break. The LCA results showed single score values of €14.6 for PE, €28.2 for PLA, and €65.9 for multilayer packaging, with carbon footprint identified as one of the major contributors to the environmental impact of the multilayer scenario. The bioplastic testing results showed thicknesses of 0.40, 0.50, and 0.40 mm for F1, F2, and F3, respectively, with tensile strength values of 4.28, 5.16, and 4.73 MPa and elongation at break values of 48.35%, 68.42%, and 57.26%, respectively. Among the three formulations, F2 demonstrated the best mechanical performance. The integration of LCA and mechanical testing indicates that the development of green packaging should consider a balance between material performance and environmental impacts. This approach supports Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 9 and 12 and provides a basis for developing more sustainable packaging systems toward a circular economy]]>
