Development of carboxymethyl xylan films with functional properties

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Food Science
• Polymer Chemistry

Background:

• Edible films are crucial for food preservation and packaging.
• Carboxymethyl xylan (CMX) is a promising biopolymer for developing functional films.
• Incorporating additives can enhance the properties of CMX-based edible films.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop carboxymethyl xylan (CMX) based edible films with enhanced functional properties.
• To investigate the effects of Agar (Ag), Ammonium zirconium carbonate (AZC), and linoleic acid (La) on CMX film characteristics.
• To evaluate the mechanical, barrier, optical, thermal, and antimicrobial properties of the developed films.

Main Methods:

• Beechwood xylan was derivatized to carboxymethyl xylan (CMX).
• CMX was blended with Agar (Ag), Ammonium zirconium carbonate (AZC), and linoleic acid (La) to create CMX:Ag, CMX:AZC, and CMX:Ag:La films.
• Evaluated mechanical (tensile strength, elastic modulus), barrier, optical, thermal properties, and antimicrobial activity against foodborne bacteria.

Main Results:

• CMX films incorporated with Agar and AZC significantly improved tensile strength and elastic modulus.
• All blended films exhibited enhanced thermal stability compared to the control CMX film.
• Barrier properties generally decreased with additive incorporation, but the CMX:Ag:La film showed good antimicrobial activity against B. cereus and S. aureus.

Conclusions:

• CMX-based edible films can be effectively functionalized using Agar and AZC to improve mechanical and thermal properties.
• The CMX:Ag:La formulation demonstrates potential as an active edible film with antimicrobial capabilities.
• Further research can optimize these formulations for specific food packaging applications.