Preparation of agar‐silica nanofilms through melt mixing: Extending beef shelf life through biodegradable packaging

Abstract

The current study used the melt mixing approach to create a variety of agar/SiO2 nanoparticle (AG/Si) nanocomposites films. Silica nanoparticles were included as a filler in different proportions, varying from 0% to 5% (w/w). The study examined how the composition impacted the chemical properties, mechanical characteristics, thermal properties, water vapor barrier, surface color, and antimicrobial capabilities. After the addition of SiO2, the tensile strength increased significantly from 30.77 to 40.97 MPa at 4% SiO2. Moreover, the presence of SiO2 was improved the contact angle from 53.81° to 63.24°, brightness of the film (L*) from 70.63 ± 3.34 up to 84.80 ± 2.26, maximum degradation temperature (Tdmax) from 315 to 317°C and melting temperature (Tm) from 109 to 125°C. In the meantime, following the integration of SiO2 content, the density of agar film dropped from 1.27 to 1.16 kg/m3. The AG/Si film effectively prevented bacterial growth and extended the shelf life of fresh beef, suggesting a novel biobased option for antimicrobial packaging film.