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

Trotta, F., 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. 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.