Novel Anti-Oxidant Food Packaging Films From Date Seeds

Abstract

To retain food quality and prevent food deterioration advance biopolymer food packaging appears to be the best solution. The demand for biopolymer packaging has increased in recent years with the awareness of the adverse outcomes of fossil-based packaging. In this study, an active biopolymer food packaging film employing gelatin-chitosan (GE-CS) base was developed using solution casting method. Date seed extract was used as the main antioxidant additive. A higher concentration of active component was extracted from date seeds when using ethanol as the solvent.

The physical, chemical and mechanical properties of GE-CS /DSE films with varying DSE content were analyzed to obtain the optimum DSE loading. The GE-CS films with 15 wt% DSE incorporate displayed the most desirable outcome proving to be the optimal loading concentration ensuring the least moisture content of 15.2 %, water solubility of 24.30 %, and water vapor permeability of 3.747 x 10-10 gs-1 m-1 Pa-1 . Also, the SEM and tensile data displayed a well stabilized film matrix with internal network of microstructures at 15% DSE loading. Then the film property enhancement when using montmorillonite/TiO2 clay was analyzed. MMT/TiO2 incorporation displayed an increase in film elasticity and ensured a more control release of bio active components. When 15% DSE GE-CS biocomposite film was loaded with 0.5% MMT/TiO2 clay, the moisture barrier property was more pronounced, and the hybrid film displayed the least weight loss percentage in application studies.

Date of Award	Apr 2023
Original language	American English
Supervisor	Mohammad Abu Haija (Supervisor)