Development of anacardic acid incorporated biopolymeric film for active packaging applications

Abstract

Biodegradable films with functional characteristics are finding several applications in the active packaging of foods and fresh-cut horticultural produce in particular, as effective alternatives to single-use plastics. In this study, anacardic acid (AA) was extracted from cashew nut shell liquid oil (CNSL) and characterized using GC–MS and HPLC. Further, the extract showed anti-microbial activity against foodborne pathogens such as Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes, Streptococcus faecalis, Salmonella typhi, and Shigella boydii, apart from potent anti-oxidant behavior. With the hypothesis to exploit its food preservation capabilities, packaging films of AA-chitosan blends were prepared; these showed remarkable anti-browning effects on fresh-cut apple slices, superior to chitosan alone. The physical properties of these films were evaluated and the developed film showed around 60 % biodegradability in 30 days. This study highlights a unique application scope for underutilized CNSL.