Polyvinyl alcohol and tapioca starch bioplastic films enriched with lavender essential oil and β‐cyclodextrin for enhanced food packaging applications

Abstract This study was primarily aimed to develop films for food packaging by utilizing thermoplastic starch (TPS) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). The films were purposefully modified with lavender essential oil (LVO) and β‐cyclodextrin (β‐CD). The impact of TPS content on PVA film properties and the influence of LVO/β‐CD content on the properties of PVA/TPS/G/LVO/β‐CD films were investigated in this research. Blends of PVA, TPS, and (LVO/β‐CD) were processed by using twin‐screw and blown‐film extrusion. Different TPS levels (0%, 20%, 30%, and 40% by weight), LVO/β‐CD contents (0%, 0.5%, 1.0%, and 1.5% by weight), and LVO concentrations (0.1, 0.2, and 0.3 ml/g of β‐CD) were varied in these films with fixed glycerol (G) at 20 parts per hundred resin. As a consequence, the integration of TPS into PVA/G films would increase thermal stability but decrease glass transition temperature, melting temperature, and crystallinity. However, it would decrease tensile strength and modulus. Furthermore, the addition of LVO/β‐CD into PVA/TPS blends led to the enhancement of thermal stability and crystallinity, although it would decrease tensile strength and modulus. In terms of antibacterial activities, PVA60/TPS40/G/LVO/β‐CD film exhibited better resistance against Staphylococcus aureus (78%) compared to Escherichia coli (64%). However, it was noteworthy that thermal stability and mechanical properties would be decreased with the increment of LVO content. Highlights Films TPS/PVA with lavender oil and β‐cyclodextrin were successfully prepared. Adding TPS to the film increased thermal stability but decreased crystallinity. The addition of TPS and LVO/β‐CD reduced tensile strength and modulus. Film/LVO/β‐CD film showed better resistance to Staphylococcus aureus (78%) than to Escherichia coli (64%). Increasing LVO improved crystallinity but decreased mechanical properties.