A sustainable solution for enhanced food packaging via a science‐based composite blend of natural‐sourced chitosan and microbial extracellular polymeric substances

Abstract

A blended composite of microbial‐derived extracellular polymeric substances (EPS‐biopolymer) and chitosan is explored for food packaging application. The FT‐IR measurement revealed the presence of the –COOH and –OH groups and the N–H stretching vibration in the blended composite film. The initial thermal degradation of engineered composite film was observed at 200°C, due to the existing moisture content and volatile materials. The massive weight loss up to 99.0 ± 0.8% was appeared at 700°C due to the total degradation of biopolymer blended chitosan composite. Comparative antimicrobial activity of biopolymer and chitosan‐biopolymer composite film was analyzed against pathogen, E. coli and the appeared zone of clearance was 1.5 ± 0.2 mm of biopolymer and 1.6 ± 0.2 mm of chitosan‐biopolymer composite film, respectively. Moreover, a preliminary investigation of fruit preservation was also carried out with this biopolymer blended chitosan composite film up to 72 hr, which proved its efficiency in packaging applications. Practical applications The mechanical and antimicrobial properties suggests that this unique blend of chitosan‐EPS composite is biodegradable in nature and provides an alternate packaging option for food products. It could be noted that the pores in the synthesized biocomposite could enable it to continue gaseous exchange but minimizes the moisture exchange, and hence, enhances the food packaging applications. Further, this unique blend is cost effective and easier to fabricate at industrial level––has potential to replace the existing polyethylene and other food packaging polymers.

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