Effect of cellulose nanocrystals/E-polylysine hybrid filler on PVA/CNC/E-polylysine nanocomposite for potential fresh food packaging application

The purpose of this thesis is to prepare and characterize PVA/CNC/PL nanocomposite films. Nanocomposite film made from Poly (Vinyl Alcohol) (PVA), Cellulose Nanocrystals (CNC), and ε-Polylysine (PL) is beneficial as eco-friendly food packaging. The escalating environmental concerns over non-biodegradable plastics have encouraged the development of biodegradable alternatives. The main material was PVA, which has been chosen for its biocompatibility, film-forming capabilities, and biodegradability. CNC and ε-Polylysine have been added as the additives. CNC provides mechanical strength, barrier characteristics, and biodegradability while ε-Polylysine adds antibacterial qualities. Nanocomposite films with varying percentages of CNC and ε-PL were characterized by various methods such as Visual Inspection, thickness of the thin film, Optical Microscopy, Universal Tensile Machine, FTIR, and XRD. The nanocomposite film was used as food packaging for fresh chillies and the fresh chillies were characterized by using Visual Inspection, Texture Analyzer, pH, and weight loss. Overall, PVA/ CNC/ ε-PL 0.9g showed the best value in extending the shelf life of the fresh chilies over the 15 days of lab conduct. The goal of this study is to provide significant insights into the potential of PVA/CNC/ ε-Polylysine nanocomposite films as eco-friendly food packaging alternatives, addressing environmental issues associated with conventional plastics. The study proposes a long-term solution to reduce plastic waste and extend the shelf life of packaged food goods.