Polysaccharide-Based Composite Material for Improved Food Packaging

A gradual surge in the population on Earth has increased the demand for food. Various synthetic materials have been used for food packaging for a long time. These materials are contaminating our environment and disrupting human life and that of other species. This study was conducted to minimize the impact of the pollution caused by using plastics for conventional packaging. A green approach to synthesizing packaging material that prevents food contamination with improved mechanical properties was adopted. Firstly, extracts were obtained from grapes and tomatoes and dissolved into four different solvents, i.e., de-ionized water, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate, and n-hexane. Three different extract solutions were made in de-ionized water, varying the fraction of the extract and de-ionized water. The extracts were then tested for the presence of various phytochemicals. The solutions were then combined with cyclodextrin, starch, alginate, and polyvinyl alcohol, all of which are biodegradable, non-cytotoxic, and pocket-friendly. Calcium chloride was also added because it acts as a firming agent and a desiccant. This resulted in the formation of a total of six membranes with four different solvents. These membranes had varying degrees of biodegradability and antibacterial properties. Various phytochemicals, such as saponins, flavonoids, terpenoids, carotenoids, tannins, phenols, and steroids, were found in the fruit extracts. These phytochemicals act as anti-microbial and anti-fungal agents. Out of the six different membranes that were synthesized, the membrane with a 7:3 composition of crude extract to de-ionized water showed the best results for use as a packaging material, as it showed the best antibacterial properties and good reported biodegradability. The FTIR results for this membrane showed bands at around 3500 cm⁻¹, indicating the presence of -OH and -NH functionality since these bands overlap and cannot be distinguished at this position. The shoulder band indicates the presence of carboxylic acid -OH. Integrating biopolymers with fruit extracts enhances the nutritional value of food and provides an eco-friendly and cost-effective approach to packaging material synthesis. The synthesized membranes are cost-effective as they contain fruit extracts from grapes and tomatoes; starch; and cyclodextrin. The extracts obtained from the fruits were inexpensive, as 300 mL of extract cost around 300 Rs. The synthesized membranes had functional advantages such as biodegradability and providing an enhanced shelf life to food products. Hence, they reduce the losses caused by food spoilage. Another driver of their cost effectiveness is that they can reduce waste disposal costs on the one hand and environmental pollution on the other hand.