Safely Dissolvable and Healable Active Packaging Films Based on Alginate and Pectin

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Polymer Science
• Food Science

Background:

• Petroleum-based plastics used in short-lived applications like food packaging contribute significantly to environmental pollution.
• There is a growing need for sustainable and biodegradable alternatives to conventional packaging materials.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop active, healable, and safely dissolvable alginate-pectin based biocomposites for food packaging applications.
• To evaluate the morphological, mechanical, hydrophobic, thermal, and antibacterial properties of the developed biocomposites.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of alginate-pectin based biocomposite films.
• Morphological analysis using surface imaging.
• Tensile testing for mechanical properties evaluation.
• Hydrophobicity, thermal stability (TGA), and antibacterial assays against E. coli and S. aureus.

Main Results:

• Biocomposite films exhibited a rough surface morphology.
• Mechanical properties were comparable to commercial packaging films, with excellent healing efficiency.
• Enhanced hydrophobicity and thermal stability below 120 °C were observed.
• Significant antibacterial activity against E. coli and S. aureus was demonstrated.

Conclusions:

• The developed alginate-pectin biocomposites are multifunctional, biodegradable, and possess properties suitable for food packaging.
• These materials offer a promising sustainable alternative to petroleum-based plastics, addressing environmental concerns.