Performance-enhanced regenerated cellulose film by adding grape seed extract

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Food Science
• Polymer Science

Background:

• Food safety and quality necessitate advanced packaging with intelligent features.
• Current packaging solutions often lack eco-friendly attributes and real-time quality indicators.
• Regenerated cellulose films offer a biodegradable base for functional packaging.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an eco-friendly food packaging material from regenerated cellulose.
• To incorporate grape seed extract (GSE) and polyethylene glycol (PEG) for enhanced properties.
• To evaluate the material's colorimetric response, mechanical strength, and food preservation capabilities.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of composite films using regenerated cellulose, GSE, and PEG.
• Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) for material characterization.
• Assessment of mechanical properties (tensile strength, elongation), hydrophilicity (water contact angle), UV-blocking, and pH-induced color changes.
• Evaluation of food preservation efficacy using strawberries, monitoring decomposition and biodegradation rates.

Main Results:

• FTIR and SEM confirmed the compatibility of GSE within the cellulose matrix.
• The composite film exhibited improved mechanical properties, with tensile strength at 33.09 MPa and elongation at break at 16.61%.
• Water contact angle increased from 53.8° to 83.8°, indicating enhanced hydrophobicity.
• The material demonstrated UV-blocking properties, pH-responsive color changes, and significantly delayed strawberry decomposition (by over 3 days) and biodegradation (by over 18 days).

Conclusions:

• The developed regenerated cellulose-based film, incorporating GSE and PEG, presents a multifunctional eco-friendly packaging material.
• The film possesses desirable mechanical, hydrophobic, and UV-blocking characteristics.
• Its pH-responsive colorimetric performance and food preservation capabilities highlight its potential as an intelligent sensor for food packaging applications.