The global production of plastic reached 299 million tonnes in 2013. Unfortunately, less than 5% of all this plastic was recycled, leading to rapid accumulation of plastic waste and consequent environmental pollution (Plastics Europe 2015). In this context, the use of biopolymers in multiple food-packaging applications has emerged as an alternative and environmentally friendly technology to produce biodegradable films (Espitia et al. 2014). Application of these materials will only be feasible if they are competitive in terms of cost and functionality as compared to synthetic plastics. Initially, many researchers considered producing biodegradable films from polysaccharides and/or proteins, but the use of pure polymers yielded expensive materials. In an attempt to find cheaper raw materials to produce biodegradable films, current research has focused on agroindustrial biomass as a source of natural polymers such as carbohydrates, proteins and fibres. Agroindustrial biomass may also contain bioactive compounds like antioxidants and antimicrobials, allowing the production of bioactive films that offer extra benefits in relation to conventional materials. For example, fruit and vegetable processing generates a large amount of residues and is 193therefore a serious environmental concern. However, this agroindustrial matter could be a potential source of natural antioxidants and serve as an additive to produce biopackaging film, providing nutritional and technological advantages (Oliveira et al. 2015; Schieber et al. 2001).