Abstract
This study investigated the biocomposite pectin films enriched with murta (Ugni molinae T.) seed polyphenolic extract and reinforced by chitin nanofiber. The structural, morphological, mechanical, barrier, colorimetric, and antioxidant activity of films were evaluated. The obtained data clearly demonstrated that the addition of murta seed extract and the high load of chitin nanofibers (50%) provided more cohesive and dense morphology of films and improved the mechanical resistance and water vapor barrier in comparison to the control pectin film. The antioxidant activity ranged between 71% and 86%, depending on the film formulation and concentration of chitin nanofibers. The presented results highlight the potential use of chitin nanofibers and murta seed extract in the pectin matrix to be applied in functional food coatings and packaging, as a sustainable solution.
Highlights
Nowadays, the use of materials that cannot be decomposed in nature is one of the leading problems
The best water vapor permeability (WVP) barrier was achieved for sample P5, which contains 50% of chitin fibers, reaching a value of 1.12 10−11 g/m s Pa, which is better in comparison to the control pectin film (P1)
Biocomposite pectin films loaded with murta seed extract and chitin nanofibers were successfully prepared by using the solution casting method
Summary
The use of materials that cannot be decomposed in nature is one of the leading problems. Some of the main advantages of films based on plant biopolymers, compared to films made of synthetic polymers, is that they are edible, biodegradable, and environmentally friendly. They can be used either as coatings, applied to various foods, or as the packaging itself, where they serve as bags or foils for food packaging. For the first time, murta seed extract has been used as a natural source of bioactive components to enhance the biological and mechanical properties of pectin films. The influence of murta seeds in single- and multi-systems combined with different concentrations of chitin nanofibers on the mechanical, water vapor barrier, morphological, and biological properties have been investigated in this paper
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