Abstract
Pullulan/chitosan-based multifunctional edible composite films were fabricated by reinforcing mushroom-mediated zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) and propolis. The ZnONPs were synthesized using enoki mushroom extract and characterized using physicochemical methods. The mushroom-mediated ZnONPs showed an irregular shape with an average size of 26.7 ± 8.9 nm. The combined incorporation of ZnONPs and propolis pointedly improved the composite film’s UV-blocking property without losing transparency. The reinforcement with ZnONPs and propolis improved the mechanical strength of the pullulan/chitosan-based film by ~25%. Additionally, the water vapor barrier property and hydrophobicity of the film were slightly increased. In addition, the pullulan/chitosan-based biocomposite film exhibited good antioxidant activity due to the propolis and excellent antibacterial activity against foodborne pathogens due to the ZnONPs. The developed edible pullulan/chitosan-based film was used for pork belly packaging, and the peroxide value and total number of aerobic microorganisms were significantly reduced in meat wrapped with the pullulan/chitosan/ZnONPs/propolis film.
Highlights
Food spoilage is a growing concern of the global food industry, and food spoilage has a significant impact on food supply and demand
Active packaging with antibacterial/antioxidant functions is emerging as one of the tools to control the deterioration of food [3,4,5]
For more insight into the nanofillers’ distribution, elemental mapping was carried out (Figure S2, Supporting Information), and the results showed a uniform distribution of the nanoparticles in the polymer matrices
Summary
Food spoilage is a growing concern of the global food industry, and food spoilage has a significant impact on food supply and demand. The main cause of food quality degradation due to the oxidation and deterioration of food is the contamination and proliferation of micro-organisms during food storage. Such food spoilage has significantly impacted the quality and safety of perishable foods, especially animal products, due to the high fat content of meat products. The most important challenge in this situation is to manufacture suitable packaging materials that can extend the shelf life of food For this purpose, active packaging with antibacterial/antioxidant functions is emerging as one of the tools to control the deterioration of food [3,4,5]
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