Nanocellulose@gallic Acid-Based MOFs: A Novel Material for Ecofriendly Food Packaging

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Food Science
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Effective food packaging is crucial for preventing spoilage and contamination.
• Current packaging materials often lack advanced protective properties.
• Developing sustainable and active packaging solutions is a key research area.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize and characterize a novel active food packaging material.
• To evaluate the properties of chitosan-based films incorporated with nanocellulose and metal-organic frameworks.
• To assess the potential of the developed material for active food preservation.

Main Methods:

• Chitosan films were prepared with varying concentrations of nanocellulose (5-10%) and gallic acid-based metal-organic frameworks (1.5-5%).
• Key properties including water solubility, moisture content, permeability (oxygen, water vapor), mechanical strength, and optical characteristics were analyzed.
• Antioxidant activity was assessed, and the film's efficacy was validated by preserving apple slices.

Main Results:

• The optimal film composition (5% nanocellulose, 1.5% metal-organic framework) showed minimal water solubility, moisture content, and water vapor permeability.
• This film exhibited low oxygen permeability (peroxide value: 18.911 ± 4.009), indicating effective preservation.
• The developed material demonstrated significant antioxidant activity, extending preservation duration to 52 days and preserving apple slices for 9 days.

Conclusions:

• The synthesized chitosan-based composite film offers superior stability and low permeability.
• The material exhibits potent antioxidant properties, crucial for active food packaging.
• This innovative film presents a promising, eco-friendly solution for enhancing food safety and shelf life.