Passion Fruit Peel Polysaccharide/Nano-ZnO Composite Film: Preparation and Preservation Performance on Cherry...

In this study, the extracted polysaccharides from passion fruit peel were employed in the development of a nanoparticle thin film and resulted in the formation of a polysaccharide-based composite film comprising zinc oxide-nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs). The effects of ZnO-NPs (0%-0.75%) on the composite film's physicochemical properties, ultrastructure, and antimicrobial properties were comprehensively investigated. Moreover, the effect of the application of composite film coating on the freshness of cherry tomatoes was evaluated. Results showed that the incorporation of ZnO-NPs into the polysaccharide-based thin film significantly modified its light transmittance, mechanical properties, and water vapor permeability. The thin film containing 0.5% ZnO-NPs also exhibited superior overall physicochemical properties compared to other concentrations of ZnO-NPs. The composite film of polysaccharide/ZnO-NPs showed strong antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, with the greatest effectiveness observed at 0.5% ZnO-NPs. The application of the composite film (0.5% ZnO-NPs) to preserve cherry tomatoes was found to potentially delay senescence of cherry tomatoes or quality deterioration during 10 days storage. This study highlights the potential of using fruit peel polysaccharides to develop environmentally friendly composite films incorporating ZnO-NPs, providing valuable insights for future fruit preservation strategies.