Hybrid cerium oxide nanoparticle and melanin nanoparticle-based composite films for food packaging: a perspective...

The public rising demand for high-quality, safe and nutritious food products has driven the need for new innovations in packaging technologies. Adoption of nanomaterials in food packaging offers an advanced solutions to address packaging inefficiencies and monitor food quality. This review article aims towards developing composite films, incorporating cerium oxidenanoparticles (CeO₂ NP) and melanin nanoparticles (MNP). In this study, the biopolymer-nanoparticle interaction is being comprehensively examined to understand the unexplored combined use of these nanoparticles in biopolymer films for food preservation applications. CeO₂ NP have impressive antioxidant and catalytic properties whereas on the other hand MNP show exceptional biocompatibility, UV-shielding and free radical scavenging properties. Incorporating these two nanoparticles into a biopolymer matrix, could provide a synergistic way to improve mechanical, thermal, and functional properties of the newly developedbiocomposite films. This review discusses the physicochemical and functional properties of each nanoparticle, comparative analyses of composite films containing CeO₂ NPs and MNPs, and the implications of film properties for food preservation, including shelf-life extension and quality maintenance. Despite their promising individual properties, the combined potential of CeO₂ NPs and MNPs to enhance biopolymer films remains underexplored in the literature. Future research should prioritize optimizing nanoparticle concentrations, assessing long-term effects, and developing scalable production strategies to advance their commercial application in food packaging.