Xylan-Polyvinyl Alcohol Biopolymer Films Incorporated with Zanthoxylum rhoifolium Lam. Extract: Development,...

This study aimed to develop and characterize biodegradable films based on xylan and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), incorporated with ethanolic extract of Zanthoxylum rhoifolium Lam., for application in active food packaging. A Box-Behnken experimental design was employed to optimize the concentrations of xylan, PVA, and glycerol, evaluating the mechanical properties of the films. The results indicated that glycerol reduced tensile strength and increased elongation at break, while higher concentrations of xylan and PVA promoted an increase in mechanical strength. FTIR and XRD analyses reveal structural change without the formation of new chemical structures. The Z. rhoifolium extract exhibited antibacterial activity with a minimum inhibitory concentration of 31.5 µg/mL for Klebsiella pneumoniae, increasing to 1000 µg/mL for Enterococcus faecium, Enterobacter cloacae, and Escherichia coli. In addition, hemolytic activity exceeded 80% at concentrations ≥ 1000 µg/mL, whereas concentrations up to 500 µg/mL can be considered safe, as hemolysis remained below 40%. The films incorporated with the extract showed antimicrobial activity, with emphasis on the formulation containing 60 mg of extract, which exhibited inhibition zones of up to 16 mm against Escherichia coli and 12 mm against Enterococcus faecalis. Thus, the results highlight the potential of functionalized xylan/PVA films as sustainable materials for the development of active packaging.