Sustainable innovations in food packaging: Antioxidant basil-enriched cassava starch films with UV protection and enhanced water and mechanical resistance

Degradation of food during transportation or storage poses a significant threat to its shelf life. Developing functional materials using sustainable components can serve as an environmentally friendly alternative to traditional food packaging, which contributes negatively to climate change. In this endeavor, carboxymethyl cassava starch-based films with various compositions of basil extract, available in aqueous (B) or freeze-dried (BS) forms, were obtained by extrusion. The inclusion of these extracts provided the starch film's antioxidant potential and contributed to increased tensile toughness. The highest concentration of BS yielded materials with outstanding UV protection capabilities and water resistance, showcasing remarkable improvements in hydrophobicity. The polyphenol release kinetic curves of the films with B at 15 % w/w and with BS, evaluated by the Weibull model, showed a Fick diffusion mechanism, underscoring the potential utility of these films as biodegradable and edible active packaging for lipophilic and acidic foods.