Preparation and characterization of chitosan and polyvinyl alcohol active film incorporated with Syzygium guineense plant extract as active packaging materials

The advancement of active packaging for food conservation has attracted considerable interest over time. In the present study, we aims to create and examine active films composed of chitosan (CS), poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA), and syzygium guineense plant extract (SYZ) for potential use in food preservation. We examined the impact of ethanol extracts from the SYZ plant on the films' tensile strength, physical, antibacterial, and anti-oxidant properties. Scanning electron microscopy showed that the fabricated films have an even, uniform exterior morphology as well as superior UV-blocking capabilities. FTIR and X-ray diffraction analyses indicated that SYZ interacts with the CS/PVA blend through H-bonding. The addition of SYZ plant extract significantly increases the tensile strength of the films, reaching up to 88.61 ± 3.17 MPa. Furthermore, the water vapor transmission rate decreases to (0.34 ± 0.35 g·s −1 m −1 Pa −1 ) × 10 −10 with the inclusion of SYZ plant extracts. All fabricated films maintain in general migration rate within permissible limits (<10 mg/dm 2 ). Additionally, CS/PVA films with SYZ plant extract exhibit better anti-bacterial assay against S. aureus and E. coli . All samples containing SYZ plant extracts shows improved antioxidant activity based on DPPH and ABTS radical inhibition. These findings suggest that fabricated films with SYZ plant extract are promising for food wrapping.