Recyclable bactericidal packaging films for emperor banana preservation

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Food Science
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Food safety and waste are significant global concerns.
• Developing effective and sustainable food packaging is crucial.
• Existing packaging solutions often lack advanced functionalities like recyclability and sustained antimicrobial properties.

Purpose of the Study:

• To create a recyclable bactericidal packaging film.
• To combine polylactic acid (PLA), graphitic carbon nitride (CN), and carbon nanotubes (CNT) for enhanced food preservation.
• To evaluate the film's properties and efficacy in extending food shelf life.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a composite film using PLA, CN, and CNT.
• Characterization of film properties including compactness and thermostability (SEM, DSC).
• Assessment of the film's recyclable bactericidal activity over multiple cycles and its effect on banana shelf life (hardness, pH, bacterial count).

Main Results:

• The developed P/CN/CNT film exhibited excellent compactness and thermostability.
• The film maintained a temperature of 54 ± 4 °C after three uses.
• Sustained bactericidal activity was observed up to the 5th cycle, effectively extending banana shelf life by 7 days.

Conclusions:

• A novel recyclable bactericidal packaging film was successfully developed.
• The film demonstrates promising potential for improving food safety and reducing food waste.
• This material offers a sustainable solution for extending the shelf life of perishable food products.