Functional bioplastic films from cocoa shell cellulose and natural waxes: Toward sustainable active packaging

IF 10.6 1区农林科学 Q1 FOOD SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Food Packaging and Shelf Life Pub Date : 2025-08-21 DOI:10.1016/j.fpsl.2025.101595

Sarmad Ahmad Qamar , Simona Piccolella , Gregory R. Ziegler , Severina Pacifico , Yi Zhang

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

The development of sustainable packaging materials from agro-industrial by-products supports the transition to a circular bio-economy and offers a viable alternative to petroleum-based plastics. Cocoa shells (CS), a by-product from the chocolate industry, are an abundant source of cellulose with limited industrial use. In this study, cellulose was extracted from CS and chemically converted into carboxymethyl cellulose (CS-CMC), which was then used to formulate bioplastic films plasticized with glycerol or sorbitol. To overcome the intrinsic hydrophilicity of CS-CMC-based materials and enhance their functional performance for food packaging, natural waxes (beeswax and carnauba wax) were applied to the film surface via spray coating in different ratios. Structural and morphological analyses (FTIR, SEM) confirmed wax deposition and modification of surface properties. The coated films showed significantly improved water resistance (contact angle >125°), mechanical strength (up to 3.58 MPa), and reduced water vapor transmission. The optimal wax ratio (25:75 beeswax/carnauba) preserved the film biodegradability and cytocompatibility (HaCaT cells), and enhanced antioxidant activity, supporting their potential for active food contact applications. This work demonstrates a sustainable and scalable approach to valorize cocoa shell waste into biodegradable packaging films. The use of natural, food-safe waxes enables the design of active barrier films suitable for protecting moisture-sensitive food products, aligning environmental performance with practical packaging requirements.

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可可壳纤维素和天然蜡制成的功能性生物塑料薄膜：走向可持续的活性包装

从农业工业副产品中开发可持续包装材料支持向循环生物经济的过渡，并为石油基塑料提供了可行的替代品。可可壳（CS）是巧克力工业的副产品，是纤维素的丰富来源，但工业用途有限。在本研究中，纤维素从CS中提取并化学转化为羧甲基纤维素（CS- cmc），然后用甘油或山梨醇塑化制成生物塑料薄膜。为了克服cs - cmc基材料固有的亲水性，提高其在食品包装中的功能性能，将天然蜡（蜂蜡和巴西棕榈蜡）按不同比例喷涂在cs - cmc基膜表面。结构和形态分析（FTIR， SEM）证实了蜡沉积和表面性能的改变。涂层膜的抗水性（接触角>；125°）、机械强度（高达3.58 MPa）显著提高，水蒸气透过率显著降低。最佳蜂蜡比（25:75）保留了蜂蜡膜的生物降解性和细胞相容性（HaCaT细胞），并增强了抗氧化活性，支持了其活性食品接触应用的潜力。这项工作展示了一种可持续和可扩展的方法，将可可壳废料转化为可生物降解的包装薄膜。使用天然的、食品安全的蜡，可以设计出适合保护对水分敏感的食品的活性屏障膜，使环境性能与实际包装要求保持一致。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Food Packaging and Shelf Life Agricultural and Biological Sciences-Food Science

CiteScore

14.00

自引率

8.80%

发文量

214

审稿时长

70 days

期刊介绍： Food packaging is crucial for preserving food integrity throughout the distribution chain. It safeguards against contamination by physical, chemical, and biological agents, ensuring the safety and quality of processed foods. The evolution of novel food packaging, including modified atmosphere and active packaging, has extended shelf life, enhancing convenience for consumers. Shelf life, the duration a perishable item remains suitable for sale, use, or consumption, is intricately linked with food packaging, emphasizing its role in maintaining product quality and safety.