Structure-property correlations and environmental impact assessment of sustainable antibacterial food packaging films reinforced with fungal chitin nanofibrils

Hossein Baniasadi*, Ziba Fathi, Cristina D. Cruz, Roozbeh Abidnejad, Päivi Tammela, Jukka Niskanen, Erlantz Lizundia*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleScientificpeer-review

1 Citation (Scopus)
19 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

This study develops sustainable, antibacterial food packaging films using carboxymethylcellulose and fungi-derived chitin nanofibrils (ChNFs) reinforced with clay to enhance mechanical strength, moisture resistance, and gas barrier properties. ChNFs significantly improve tensile strength and permeability by forming a dense, hydrogen-bonded network within the carboxymethylcellulose matrix. However, excessive ChNF content led to agglomeration, reducing mechanical performance slightly. At 30% ChNFs content, films demonstrated antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Listeria monocytogenes and also presented a 52.1 ± 3.2% degradation rate in four weeks. Life cycle assessment revealed a reduced carbon footprint (5.0–5.3 kg CO₂-equiv. per kg film) and low plastic litter generation (35–44 g/kg), underscoring environmental benefits compared to conventional packaging. These carboxymethylcellulose/ChNF-based films are a promising, eco-friendly alternative for food packaging applications, offering antibacterial properties and enhanced sustainability in the packaging of perishable food products.

Original languageEnglish
Article number110987
Number of pages13
JournalFood Hydrocolloids
Volume162
Early online date21 Dec 2024
DOIs
Publication statusE-pub ahead of print - 21 Dec 2024
MoE publication typeA1 Journal article-refereed

Keywords

  • Antibacterial films
  • Biodegradability
  • Carboxymethylcellulose
  • Food packaging
  • Life cycle assessment
  • Nanochitin

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