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Published on: January 7, 2019
Hazelnut Shell Biorefinery for Bioactive CMC Films: Sequential Polyphenol and Cellulose Recovery and Wax-Modulating
Sarmad Ahmad Qamar1, Simona Piccolella1, Luana Izzo2
1Department of Environmental, Biological & Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies, University of Campania 'Luigi Vanvitelli', Via Vivaldi 43, 81100 Caserta, Italy.
Foods (Basel, Switzerland)
|June 26, 2026
Summary
Hazelnut shells are transformed into active carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) films for food packaging. These biodegradable films offer enhanced mechanical properties, UV protection, and antioxidant activity, promoting sustainable waste valorization.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Biotechnology
- Sustainable Chemistry
Background:
- Lignocellulosic residues present an underutilized resource for developing functional materials.
- Sustainable food packaging requires bioactive and biodegradable alternatives to conventional plastics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To valorize hazelnut shells into bioactive and biodegradable films for food packaging.
- To develop carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) films incorporating hazelnut shell polyphenols and carnauba wax.
Main Methods:
- Integrated extraction of polyphenols and cellulose from hazelnut shells.
- Conversion of cellulose to carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) with a degree of substitution (DS) of 0.77.
- Fabrication and characterization of active CMC films with polyphenols and carnauba wax using ATR-FTIR and SEM.
Main Results:
- Extracted polyphenols and cellulose from hazelnut shells.
- Developed CMC films with improved tensile strength (78 MPa) and elongation at break (>20%).
- Films exhibited reduced water solubility (31%), enhanced water resistance, UV-blocking, and antioxidant properties.
Conclusions:
- Hazelnut shell-derived CMC films are promising for active food packaging.
- The integrated process supports a circular waste-to-value approach.
- Tunable film properties enable versatile applications in sustainable packaging.
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