The Bioeconomy has attracted extensive attention from industry and commerce, academia and government owing to the fast⁃paced transformation of food, environment, medicine, energy and other industries. Thus, it is of vital significance to effectively analyze, develop, and utilize biological resources such as natural macromolecules. Natural starch is favored due to its wide source, low price, non⁃toxicity, non⁃ immunogenicity, biodegradation, regeneration, excellent adhesion and biocompatibility. However, starch films exhibit poor water resistance and strength. In this respect, the functional properties of the starch films can be improved by blending them with other materials owing to the chemical bonding and intermolecular forces. This review introduces the preparation of starch composite films with cellulose, chitosan, protein, aliphatic polyester, polyvinyl alcohol, polyolefin plastics, nano⁃oxide, clay, zirconium phosphate (phosphonate) and fiber by solvent casting, compression, extrusion and injection blow molding. And then it summarizes the water resistance, mechanical properties, biodegradability, water vapor permeability, thermal stability, compatibility and bacterial resistance of composite films, and discusses the applications of composite films in the food packaging, environment and biomedicine fields. This review prospects that the supercritical fluid and ultrasonic activation impart the modified starch with improved film properties, and the research direction is at excellent biocompatibility intercalation material in future. © 2022 Cailiao Daobaoshe/ Materials Review. All rights reserved.
