abstract
The growing concerns on environmental pollution and sustainability have raised the interest on the development of functional biobased materials for different applications, including food packaging, as an alternative to the fossil resources-based counterparts, currently available in the market. In this work, functional wood inspired biopolymeric nanocomposite films were prepared by solvent casting of suspensions containing commercial beechwood xylans, cellulose nanofibers (CNF) and lignosulfonates (magnesium or sodium), in a proportion of 2:5:3 wt%, respectively. All films presented good homogeneity, translucency, and thermal stability up to 153 °C. The incorporation of CNF into the xylan/lignosulfonates matrix provided good mechanical properties to the films (Young's modulus between 1.08 and 3.79 GPa and tensile strength between 12.75 and 14.02 MPa). The presence of lignosulfonates imparted the films with antioxidant capacity (DPPH radical scavenging activity from 71.6 to 82.4 %) and UV barrier properties (transmittance ≤19.1 % (200–400 nm)). Moreover, the films obtained are able to successfully delay the browning of packaged fruit stored over 7 days at 4 °C. Overall, the obtained results show the potential of using low-cost and eco-friendly resources for the development of sustainable active food packaging materials.
authors
José M. Silva, Carla Vilela, Ana Violeta Girão, Pedro C. Branco, João Martins, Mara G. Freire, Armando J. D. Silvestre, Carmen S.R. Freire
our authors
Ana Violeta Girão
Junior Researcher
Armando Jorge Domingues Silvestre
Full professor
Carla Vilela
Assistant Professor
Carmen Sofia da Rocha Freire Barros
Coordinating Researcher
José Miguel Cardoso da Silva
PhD Student
Mara Guadalupe Freire Martins
Coordinating ResearcherGroups
G3 - Electrochemical Materials, Interfaces and Coatings
G4 - Renewable Materials and Circular Economy
G5 - Biomimetic, Biological and Living Materials
Projects
CICECO - Aveiro Institute of Materials (UIDB/50011/2020)
CICECO - Aveiro Institute of Materials (UIDP/50011/2020)
Associated Laboratory CICECO-Aveiro Institute of Materials (LA/P/0006/2020)
acknowledgements
This work was developed within the scope of the projects CICECO-Aveiro Institute of Materials (UIDB/50011/2020 (DOI 10.54499/UIDB/50011/2020), UIDP/50011/2020 (DOI 10.54499/UIDP/50011/2020) & LA/P/0006/2020 (DOI 10.54499/LA/P/0006/2020)), financed by national funds through the FCT/MECTES (PIDDAC). FCT is also acknowledged for research contracts under Scientific Employment Stimulus to C.S.R.F. (CEECIND/00464/2017) and C.V. (2021.01571.CEECIND). The authors would also like to acknowledge Celbi – Celulose da Beira Industrial, SA and The Navigator Company for funding the PhD scholarship.