Properties of active starch-based films incorporating a combination of Ag, ZnO and CuO nanoparticles for potential use in food packaging applications

Publication date: December 2019Source: Food Packaging and Shelf Life, Volume 22Author(s): Seyed Jamaleddin Peighambardoust, Seyed Hadi Peighambardoust, Niloufar Mohammadzadeh Pournasir, Parisa PakdelAbstractStarch (St)-based nanocomposite films containing single or a combination of Ag, ZnO and CuO nanoparticles (NPs) were prepared by the solution casting method. Physico-mechanical and antibacterial properties of the obtained films were investigated. The results indicated that St-ZnO film had higher tensile strength than those of St/Ag and St/CuO films at 2 wt.% of each NPs. Moreover, the film containing a combination of Ag-ZnO-Cuo NPs showed a higher tensile strength and Young’s modulus than those of St/Ag film. Elongation at break % of the control (pure starch) film was the highest followed by St-Ag, St-CuO, St-ZnO, and St-Ag-ZnO-CuO nanocomposite films. The results showed that St-ZnO-CuO-Ag film with 0.667 wt.% of each NPs as well as St-ZnO (3%) film had the lowest solubility in water. The ultraviolet spectroscopy revealed that the St-ZnO film had the highest UV absorbance. Microbial tests showed that St-Ag and St-CuO films had the highest antibacterial activity against E. coli and S. aureus, respectively. With increasing NPs concentration from 1 to 3 wt.% this effect was more enhanced. We found that combinatorial use of Ag/ZnO/CuO NPs in the formulation of starch-based films exhibit synergistic effect in enhancing the antimicrobial and mechanical properties of the ...
Source: Food Packaging and Shelf Life - Category: Food Science Source Type: research