Advancing food preservation: sustainable Green-AgNPs bionanocomposites in paper-starch flexible packaging for prolonged shelf life

Trotta, F. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9170-2029, Da Silva, S., Massironi, A., Mirpoor, S. F. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9172-794X, Lignou, S. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6971-2258, Khalil Ghawi, S. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9787-9506 and Charalampopoulos, D. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1269-8402 (2024) Advancing food preservation: sustainable Green-AgNPs bionanocomposites in paper-starch flexible packaging for prolonged shelf life. Polymers, 16 (7). 941. ISSN 2073-4360 doi: 10.3390/polym16070941

Abstract/Summary

In the pursuit of enhancing food packaging, nanotechnology, particularly green silver nanoparticles (G-AgNPs), have gained prominence for its remarkable antimicrobial properties with high poten-tial for food shelf-life extension. Our study aims to develop corn starch-based coating materials reinforced with G-AgNPs. The mechanical properties were examined using a uniaxial tensile tester, revealing that starch coated with the highest G-AgNPs concentration (12.75 ppm) exhibited UTS of 87.6 MPa compared to 48.48 MPa of control paper, a significant (p < 0.02) 65% increase. The assessment of the WVP showcased a statistical reduction in permeability by up to 8% with the incorporation of the hydrophobic layer. Furthermore, antibacterial properties were assessed fol-lowing ISO 22196:2011, demonstrating a strong and concentration-dependent activity of G-AgNPs against E. coli. All samples successfully disintegrated in both simulated environments (soil and seawater), including samples presenting G-AgNPs. In the food trial analysis, the presence of starch and G-AgNPs significantly reduced weight loss after 6 days, with cherry tomatoes decreasing by 8.59% and green grapes by 6.77% only. The results of this study contribute to the advancement of environmentally friendly packaging materials, aligning with the UN sustainable development goals of reducing food waste and promoting sustainability.

Item Type	Article
URI	https://reading-clone.eprints-hosting.org/id/eprint/115916
Identification Number/DOI	10.3390/polym16070941
Refereed	Yes
Divisions	Life Sciences > School of Chemistry, Food and Pharmacy > Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences > Food Research Group
Publisher	MDPI
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