Sugarcane Bagasse Fiber Reinforced Active Starch Biocomposite Films with Menthol Encapsulated Powder for Fresh-Cut Fruit Packaging

The environmental impact of synthetic food packaging materials and food wastage are global concerns. This can be minimized by active food packaging films made from renewable resources. This work reports on sugarcane bagasse fiber (SBF) reinforced active starch biocomposite films with menthol encapsulated powder (MEP) for fresh-cut food packaging application. The films were prepared by varying the content of the sugarcane bagasse fibers and menthol encapsulated powder. Reinforcing starch matrix with sugarcane bagasse fibers and menthol encapsulated powder resulted in significant improvement of the physical, mechanical, and thermal properties. The biocomposite film prepared with 20% fiber loading and 1% menthol encapsulated powder showed the optimal mechanical physical, barrier, and thermal properties. The films were found to be fully degradable within 7 weeks under composting conditions. The antimicrobial test carried out against S. aureus and E. coli bacterial strains revealed an active zone of inhibition, and sample containing 4% MEP showing 1.52 cm against S. aureus and 1.27 cm against E. coli. Further, the shelf-life assessment of fresh-cut apples using the active biocomposite films developed in this work as well as using synthetic and open packaging films was carried out. The developed packaging film was found to be the most effective in enhancing the shelf life and preserving the quality of fresh-cut apples. Moreover, the developed films were fully biodegradable within 7 weeks under composting conditions. Overall, this study revealed the potential of active biocomposite film to reduce the use of synthetic plastics in food packaging applications.