Retno Wulandari

Microbiological deterioration, particularly by molds, is a major issue in fruit spoilage. This study developed an edible coating made from banana peel pectin, cinnamon essential oil (CEO), and cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) using the Pickering emulsion technique as a prospective technology to maintain fruit quality. The most stable emulsion containing 0.05% CNC was selected based on the cream index, combined with 0.5% CEO and 0.5% pectin solution, then applied to fruits and cast into films. GC‐MS analysis of CEO revealed the presence of cinnamaldehyde, caryophyllene, and eugenol. SEM analysis of the pectin/CNC/CEO formulation showed a smooth and homogeneous film surface with a thickness of 0.02 ± 0.01 mm. The pectin/CNC/CEO coating effectively inhibited the growth of Botrytis cinerea and Penicillium digitatum , while reducing volume shrinkage and color degradation of fruits during storage. These findings demonstrate mechanical stability, homogeneous morphology, and antifungal activity, highlighting its potential to extend shelf life and preserve the quality of fresh fruits naturally and sustainably.

Conventional plastic is commonly used for packaging due to its characteristics, but it is difficult to degrade and can pollute the environment. Chicken feather keratin bioplastic incorporated with zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO‐NP) encapsulation is designed as a solution to reduce waste and an alternative to conventional plastic in the food industry. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of ZnO‐NP and its encapsulation on the characteristics of keratin bioplastic and assess the potential of the design as food packaging. Evaluation methods included mechanical properties and functionality tests. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) proved the successful formation of bioplastic from the characteristic bands of keratin and ZnO‐NP. Scanning electron microscopy with magnification of 100 and 1500 times, showed a smoother surface structure on the incorporation of ZnO‐NP. Mechanical property tests showed significant superiority of keratin/ZnO‐NP bioplastic in tensile strength (6.60 ± 0.86 MPa), UV‐blockage (Staphylococcus aureus . Meanwhile, keratin/beeswax ZnO‐NP bioplastic significantly excelled in water resistance (47.08% ± 11.76%) and UV‐blockage. Keratin, keratin/ZnO‐NP, and keratin/beeswax ZnO‐NP bioplastics had similar water vapor transmission rate and biodegradation characteristics. This design demonstrates potential as a solution to reduce plastic and chicken feather waste, potential applications in the food industry, and supports the growth of a circular economy through organic waste processing.

Banana leaf‐based packaging has been widely used for various traditional foods in Indonesia, contributing to the aesthetics and enhancing the aroma, color, flavor, and ethnic appeal. The inherent properties of banana leaves are insufficient to prevent the growth of microorganisms, leading to spoilage of the wrapped food. The objective of this study was to introduce the cultural practice of using banana leaves as traditional food packaging in Indonesia and to enhance their biofunctional properties through the application of a coating technique using propolis and zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONP). At least 17 traditional lexicalization patterns of banana leaf‐based packaging were identified across Indonesia. A nanocomposite formulation of 3% propolis combined with 140 ppm ZnONP was selected for coating. The prepared banana leaf thickness and color difference ranged from 0.262 to 0.264 mm and 76.64–86.09, respectively, with the coating layer being observed on the surface and within the internal microstructure through scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The combination of propolis and ZnONP exhibited the highest antimicrobial activity against both Gram‐positive and Gram‐negative bacteria, as demonstrated by the inhibition of Bacillus subtilis and Escherichia coli . The coated banana leaf traditional packaging extended the shelf life of lemper (a traditional Indonesian food) by 8–12 h.

Commercial food packaging materials are mainly synthesized from non-renewable petroleum-based polymers. Starch-based bioplastics have been developed as an alternative material since they are renewable and environmentally friendly. In this research, composite films derived from sago starch as matrix and microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) as filler with the addition of glycerol as plasticizers have been prepared. Ginger extract was also added as an antioxidant agent. The effect of ultrasonication at different time durations of MCC on the physicochemical properties of the composite film was investigated. Ultrasonication broke down the agglomerated MCC into smaller particle sizes and improved the dispersion in the starch matrix, as shown in the FESEM photograph. The mechanical properties were enhanced after ultrasonication. In addition, the ultrasonicated composite films showed better barrier properties toward water vapor compared to the untreated film. In addition, the developed antioxidant film containing ginger extract exhibited a great inhibition toward browning and shrinking on sliced apples during storage at ± 4 °C in a cooling room for 10 days. Overall, the composite films were biodegraded in two weeks. These biodegradable composite films can be a promising alternative for food-grade and eco-friendly packaging materials.

Fruit loss frequently occurs due to physical and microbial deterioration. This study aimed to develop an emulsified coating formulation based on pectin (BP)/cellulose nanofibre (CNF)/(peppermint essential oil) PEO using the Pickering technique with an appropriate level of CNF as a stabiliser and to study its effect on grape quality during storage. The incorporation of 0.4% PEO-stabilised with various 0.1%–0.325% CNF into 0.5% BP edible coatings was developed. A 0.175% concentration of CNF was found to be appropriate for stabilising the emulsion system. This technique improved the functional performance of BP coatings, including their antifungal activity against Penicillium digitatum by 64.94% on the 7th day of incubation. Moreover, light transmission at UV and visible wavelengths and elongation improved by 23.17% and 71.26% respectively compared to the pure BP-based coating. Scanning electron microscopy and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy were used to characterise the biocompatibility of each coating formulation. The PEO-CNF emulsion coating may be an alternative for the active coating of fresh fruit commodities.

Studying thermal behavior, especially regarding the kinetics of the degradation of materials has attracted attention in this recent years because it can provide information about the stability of materials in various conditions and how the mechanism of material degradation. In this research, the thermal behavior and kinetics of thermal degradation of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)/cassava starch (CS)/alkaline lignin (AL) with glycerol as a plasticizer were investigated and compared by the thermogravimetric analyzer. The test was carried out for samples under non-isothermal conditions in nitrogen at a single heating rate of 10 °C/min. The activation energies were calculated using Coats-Redfern, Broido, and Horowitz-Metzger methods. The results showed that PVA/0 and PVA/CS/AL had four decomposition steps with the main degradation of PVA/0 and PVA/CS/AL in the second and third decomposition steps. The first degradation of PVA/0 and PVA/CS/AL occurred at 125 °C - 270 °C with a decomposed mass of 35.94%, and 135 °C – 250 °C with a decomposed mass of 31.84%, respectively. The second degradation of PVA/0 and PVA/CS/AL was at 270 °C - 385 °C with a decomposed mass of 40.33% and 250 °C – 395 °C with a decomposed mass of 38.62%. The values of activation energies using Coats-Redfern, Broido, and Horowitz Metger methods of PVA/0 were 57.08 KJ/mol, 64.82 KJ/mol, and 70.57 KJ/mol, respectively. The values of activation energies using Coats-Redfern, Broido, and Horowitz Metger methods of PVA/CS/AL were 74.49 KJ/mol, 82.17 KJ/mol, and 95.65 KJ/mol, respectively. The lower activation energy indicates that degradation reactions occur more easily. PVA/CS/AL has slightly better thermal stability than PVA/0.