Development of lignocellulosic hydroxyethyl cellulose composite films for fruit antimicrobial packaging

Hydroxyethyl cellulose was synthesized from low-cost lignocellulose. • A composite film was synthesized for fruit preservation. • Two flexible application modes were developed for different fruit preservation. The nonbiodegradability of conventional petroleum-based packaging materials and associated health concerns have increased interest in developing more environmentally friendly alternatives for food preservation. As a renewable candidate, cellulose lacks intrinsic antimicrobial capacity, and cotton-based hydroxyethyl cellulose (HEC) suffers high production costs. Herein, lignocellulose-based hydroxyethyl cellulose (Lig-HEC) was fabricated and formulated into composite films. The obtained film delivered 6.1 MPa tensile strength and 6.19 × 10 −10  g m −1  s −1  Pa −1 water vapor permeability, together with pronounced inhibitory activity against Penicillium oxalicum . Moreover, two flexible application strategies, tape casting and liquid dip-coating, were adopted for different berry fruits. The composite film mitigated weight loss and mold growth of cherries/strawberries, achieving a 29.3%–46.9% reduction in fruit weight loss relative to the untreated control, outperforming commercial polyethylene films. The results indicate that Lig-HEC can be used to develop high-performance and cost-effective antimicrobial packaging materials for food preservation. Download: Download high-res image (69KB) Download: Download full-size image