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Development of Ortho Silicic acid Crosslinked Sodium Alginate/PVOH Blend Films Reinforced with Biosynthesised Silver Nanoparticles; Sustainable Approach for the Preservation of Chicken meat
Summary
Scientists created a new food wrap made from plant-based materials (seaweed extract and a biodegradable plastic alternative) infused with silver nanoparticles, designed to keep raw chicken fresher longer. In tests, this wrap blocked UV rays, kept bacteria growth low, and slowed spoilage better than regular plastic packaging, while also breaking down naturally in soil, unlike conventional plastic. This matters because it points toward packaging that could reduce both foodborne illness risk and plastic waste, potentially cutting down on the microplastics that end up in our food and environment.
In this study, Polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH)/sodium alginate (SA) biodegradable blend films, crosslinked with tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) and loaded with biosynthesised silver nanoparticles (SNPs), were developed for chicken breast (CB) meat packaging. FT-IR and XRD analyses confirmed intermolecular interactions among TEOS, SNPs and the PVOH/SA matrix, while SEM/EDS revealed uniform SNP dispersion. UV-Visible spectroscopy verified SNP formation (430–460 nm), following pseudo-first order reaction kinetics (Kap = 0.03839 min− 1), with an average particle size of 81.3 nm. The optimised PSTX-3 film exhibited excellent UV shielding (UV-A 99.78%, UV-B 99.83%). TEOS and SNP combination enhanced tensile strength from 18.31 MPa (PS) to 38.28 MPa (PSTX-3), while improving hydrophobicity (contact angle 110.66°), reducing water-vapour transmission (16.6 × 10− 8 gm−2h− 1) and oxygen permeability (6.37 × 10− 6 cc/m.24h.atm) and achieving 44.39% soil biodegradation after 60 days. PSTX-3 also demonstrated strong antimicrobial activity against E. coli (11.61 mm), S. aureus (10.35 mm), C. albicans (10.16 mm), B. subtilis (9.65 mm) and P. aeruginosa (10.48 mm), together with notable antioxidant activity (46.43%) and cell viability (79.24%). During CB meat packaging, PSTX-3 effectively preserved sensory attributes while maintaining regulated drip loss (33.99%), minimal pH shift (5.92), low TVB-N release (12.35 mg/100 g) and TBARS formation (0.58 mg MDA/kg). Total bacterial (2.8 log CFU/g) and psychrotrophic (2.4 log CFU/g) counts were markedly lower than those of polythene-packaged controls, indicating extended shelf life. These findings demonstrate that TEOS-crosslinked PVOH/SA-SNP nanocomposite films are cost-effective, sustainable alternatives to conventional plastic packaging with robust commercial potential for fresh poultry preservation prioritizing safety and sustainability. Optimized TEOS-crosslinked, green-synthesized SNPs-doped PVOH/SA blend films were fabricated. The nanocomposite films unveiled excellent UV-blocking and mechanical properties. The nanocomposite films demonstrated remarkable hydration and barrier properties. The nanocomposite films exhibited enhanced antimicrobial and antioxidant activity. The PSTX-3 film prolonged the shelf life of CB meat up to 15 days.