Synergistic effect of berry wax and miswak extract in a carboxymethylcellulose-based coating for banana preservation

Carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) is widely used in food packaging films and coatings; however, its pure form exhibits inadequate physico-mechanical and thermal properties, as well as a lack of active functionalities, which limits its broader application. To address these limitations, this study incorporated berry wax (W, 0–12 %) and Salvadora persica L. (miswak) bioactive extract (ME, 0–4 %) into a CMC matrix. FTIR and XRD analyses confirmed good structural compatibility among the components, while SEM characterized the surface morphology. The incorporation of up to 9 % W and 3 % ME synergistically enhanced the films' thermal stability, antioxidant activity, and antibacterial efficacy (inhibition zones of 0–12 mm against both E. coli and S. aureus ). Water barrier properties were significantly improved, with reductions in moisture content (22.36 % to 11.05 %), water solubility (42.00 % to 36.11 %), swelling power (28.47 % to 18.01 %), and water vapor permeability from (1.91 ± 0.5) × 10 −11 to (1.43 ± 1.0) × 10 −11  g·m·m −2 ·s −1 ·Pa −1 . Notably, the optimal coating formulation (CMC/9%W/3%ME) effectively reduced postharvest loss in bananas stored at room temperature, demonstrating its potential as an active coating material for extending the shelf life of fresh produce.