Production of nanocellulose nanohemicellulose and nanolignin from invasive plant biomass and their application as reinforcement in chitosan films for food packaging

Abstract

The food industries are one of the leading sectors with significant demand for single-use packaging materials. Petroleum-based plastic packaging with good mechanical and barrier properties is currently in use to protect the food from the external environment. However, these packaging materials are widely non-degradable plastics, which lead to the accumulation of a vast amount of solid wastes and create a severe threat to the environment. Hence, in recent years, researchers have focused on developing non-toxic, biodegradable packaging film as a substitute for commercial non-degradable plastics. Biodegradable packaging film developed from natural-based polysaccharides such as starch, guar gum and chitosan lacks in many essential properties such as good mechanical strength and barrier against external environment. The addition of synthetic nanoparticles has partially solved this issue by increasing their mechanical and barrier properties but it leads to an adverse impact on human health due to their migration in the food. Moreover, most food materials such as meat and dairy products are highly perishable and undergo self-degradation by oxidation and microbial growth. To overcome this, bio-nanoparticles with intrinsic antioxidant and antimicrobial activity, such as hemicellulose and lignin nanoparticles, can be used as reinforcement to protect the food from self-degradation and the external environment without toxicity. newline