Eco-friendly fabrication of propolis-derived silver nanocomposites on graphene oxide for advanced chitosan-based food...

This study presents a sustainable approach for developing multifunctional chitosan (CS) food packaging films by incorporating propolis-mediated silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) anchored onto graphene oxide (GO). The biosynthesized AgNPs (≈51 nm) were uniformly dispersed, and their attachment to GO increased the composite particle size to about 258 nm while enhancing structural stability. GO incorporation strengthened the CS matrix, leading to a 47.62 % improvement in tensile strength and effectively limiting AgNP migration. The CS/GO-AgNP films exhibited strong antibacterial activity (83.25-100 % inhibition) against Escherichia coli ATCC 15597 and Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 12600, enabled by the combined effects of AgNPs and propolis, together with a controlled Ag release (33.42-45.34 %) that supported sustained antimicrobial function. When applied to blueberries, the films reduced weight loss by 43.32 % and surface wrinkling by 49.10 %, helping maintain postharvest quality. Structural characterizations (SEM, FTIR, XRD) further confirmed improved uniformity and interfacial compatibility among CS, AgNPs and GO. Overall, this work provides a practical and environmentally friendly strategy for designing high-performance food packaging materials, offering theoretical support and reference for developing antimicrobial systems with enhanced mechanical stability and reduced nanoparticle migration.