Fortification of pullulan/cassava starch-based edible films incorporated with LC-EO nanoparticles and the application for beef meat preservation.

A multipurpose food packaging film was created using pullulan and cassava starch as bases and sodium caseinate/zein-loaded Litsea cubeba essential oil nanoparticles as fillers. The study showed that the PS, PDI, Zeta potential and encapsulation efficiency of LC-EO in SC/ZNPs were 206.34 nm, 0.28 %, -25.73 mV, and 89.69 %, respectively, indicating even distribution and good stability. FTIR and XRD analysis confirmed hydrogen bond formation and structural changes between nanoparticle-forming materials, while SEM analysis revealed uniform distribution and spherical morphology of SC/ZNPs.The study found that the psc film showed improved mechanical properties, including an increase in elongation at break from 14.76 % to 19.30 %, and enhanced barrier characteristics, despite a slight decrease in tensile strength from 28.53 MPa to 7.77 MPa. The pcs film enhanced hydrophobic characteristics from 39.06 % to 20.91 % and showed inhibition against Staphylococcus aureus and E. coli O157:H7 at 28 mm and 23 mm inhibition zones, respectively, with improved antioxidant properties (76.16 %), effectively reducing bacterial populations, color, texture, and pH change and lipid oxidation in fresh beef for up to seven days. The psc film is a promising new active antibacterial and antioxidant food-packaging material.