Abstract
This study aimed at developing the functional packaging properties of pectin/alginate films by adding zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs). The ZnO-NPs were added to the pectin/alginate film at the concentrations of 0.5, 2.5, 5, and 25 g/100 g of blended polymer. The effects of the ZnO-NP incorporation on the mechanical properties, hydration properties, oxygen permeability, ultraviolet transmission, transparency, and antimicrobial activity of the films were investigated. The addition of ZnO-NPs from 0 to 5 g/100 g of blended polymer to the pectin/alginate film increased 191.4% of the tensile strength, 169.8% of elongation at break, and antimicrobial properties (against Aspergillus niger, Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, Escherichia coli, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae). In contrast, it reduced the solubility from 30.38% to 22.49%, water vapor permeability from 1.01 × 10−14 to 0.414 × 10−14 kg·m/m2·Pa·s, moisture absorption, ultraviolet light transmission, and oxygen permeability from 270.86 × 10−19 to 110.79 × 10−19 kg·m/m2·Pa·s. The effects are the highest when the concentration of the ZnO-NPs in the film was 5 g/100 g of blended polymer. Attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared analysis indicated that some interactions between the ZnO-NPs and pectin/alginate matrices were formed. These results suggest that pectin/alginate/ZnO-NPs films can be used as active packaging for food preservation.
Highlights
Food packaging materials with proper mechanical strength; barrier properties against water, water vapor, and other gases; thermal stability, recyclability, and biodegradability; and functional properties, such as antimicrobial activities, are highly desirable for food safety and extending the shelf-life of packaged foods [1]
The zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) content in the 25 g/100 g of blended polymer was more than necessary for creating hydrogen bonds such that it probably had a negative effect on the cross-linking between the Ca2+ ion, the pectin, and the alginate carboxyl groups
The addition of ZnO-NPs to pectin and alginate films changed some physicochemical properties of films compared to films without the ZnO-NPs
Summary
Food packaging materials with proper mechanical strength; barrier properties against water, water vapor, and other gases; thermal stability, recyclability, and biodegradability; and functional properties, such as antimicrobial activities, are highly desirable for food safety and extending the shelf-life of packaged foods [1]. Biopolymer-based packaging materials have not been widely used in the packaging industry, mainly because of their poor mechanical, barrier, and processing properties. They have a higher production cost compared to commodity plastic films [2]. The addition of ZnO-NPs to biopolymers has improved the film’s properties and showed strong antimicrobial and UV barrier properties [3]. For these reasons, ZnO-NPs have been applied to food packaging. The main purpose of this study was to International Journal of Polymer Science
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