Multifunctional Bionanocomposite Films Based on Chitosan/Polyvinyl Alcohol with ZnO NPs and Carissa carandas Extract Anthocyanin for Smart Packaging Materials

The present work describes chitosan (CS) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) films incorporated with the natural anthocyanin derived from Carissa carandas and fabricated with ZnO NPs. They showed pH sensitivity, antioxidant activity, and cell viable properties. Anthocyanin, ZnO NPs, and anthocyanin-ZnO NPs fabricated on the CS/PVA matrix significantly increased mechanical resistance and reduced moisture contents (MCs) and water vapor permeability (WVP) of the films significantly. The inclusion of anthocyanin-ZnO NPs significantly affected the cell viability of the prepared film (P > 0.05). Optical characteristics suitable for food packaging applications were exhibited by the prepared films. Additionally, in various pH buffer solutions, the developed films showed noticeable color changes and could be visualized. This property of the film could be employed for fish packaging to monitor freshness, with the film turning from colorless to yellow. It could efficiently monitor the degree of the fish fillet deterioration. Moreover, the prepared CPAZ films showed very good antioxidant activity and cell viability and emerged as a smart intelligent film for food packaging industries.