Highly Stable, Edible Cellulose Films Incorporating Chitosan Nanoparticles

• Published in: Journal of food science Vol. 76; no. 2; pp. N25 - N29
• Main Authors: de Moura, Márcia R., Lorevice, Marcos V., Mattoso, Luiz H.C., Zucolotto, Valtencir
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Malden, USA Blackwell Publishing Inc 01-03-2011; Wiley; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; carboxymethylcellulose; Carboxymethylcellulose Sodium - chemical synthesis; Cellulose; Chitosan; Chitosan - chemical synthesis; chitosan nanoparticles; Edible; edible films; Environmental impact; Food industries; Food Packaging - methods; Foods; Fourier transforms; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General aspects; Handling, storage, packaging, transport; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; Nanoparticles; Nanoparticles - chemistry; Packaging industry; Particle Size; Polymers; Solubility; Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; Thermogravimetry; Transmission electron microscopy; Cellulose(carboxymethyl); Edible film; carboxymethylcellulose; Cellulose film; chitosan nanoparticles; Conditioning; Chitosan; edible films; Edible packaging
• ISSN: 0022-1147; 1750-3841
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1750-3841.2010.02013.x

:  The need for biodegradable polymers for packaging has fostered the development of novel, biodegradable polymeric materials from natural sources, as an alternative to reduce amount of waste and environmental impacts. The present investigation involves the synthesis of chitosan nanoparticles–carboxymethylcellulose films, in view of their increasing areas of application in packaging industry. The entire process consists of 2‐steps including chitosan nanoparticles preparation and their incorporation in carboxymethylcellulose films. Uniform and stable particles were obtained with 3 different chitosan concentrations. The morphology of chitosan nanoparticles was tested by transmission electron microscopy, revealing the nanoparticles size in the range of 80 to 110 nm. The developed film chitosan nanoparticles–carboxymethylcellulose films were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT‐IR), thermogravimetric analysis, solubility tests, and mechanical analysis. Improvement of thermal and mechanical properties were observed in films containing nanoparticles, with the best results occurring upon addition of nanoparticles with 110 nm size in carboxymethylcellulose films.
Practical Application:  Carboxymethylcellulose films containing chitosan nanoparticles synthesized and characterized in this article could be a potential material for food and beverage packaging applications products due to the increase mechanical properties and high stability. The potential application of the nanocomposites prepared would be in packaging industry to extend the shelf life of products.