Cellulose Nanofibers/Pectin/Pomegranate Extract Nanocomposite as Antibacterial and Antioxidant Films and Coating for Paper

Enas Hassan; Shaimaa Fadel; Wafaa Abou-Elseoud; Marwa Mahmoud; Mohammad Hassan

doi:10.3390/polym14214605

Cellulose Nanofibers/Pectin/Pomegranate Extract Nanocomposite as Antibacterial and Antioxidant Films and Coating for Paper

Polymers (Basel). 2022 Oct 30;14(21):4605. doi: 10.3390/polym14214605.

Authors

Enas Hassan¹, Shaimaa Fadel¹, Wafaa Abou-Elseoud^{1

2}, Marwa Mahmoud³, Mohammad Hassan^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Cellulose and Paper Department, National Research Centre, 33 El-Buhouth Street, Dokki, Giza 12622, Egypt.
² Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology Group, Centre of Excellence for Advanced Sciences, National Research Centre, 33 El-Buhouth Street, Dokki, Giza 12622, Egypt.
³ Food Technology Department, National Research Centre, 33 El-Buhouth Street, Dokki, Giza 12622, Egypt.

Abstract

Bio-based polymer composites find increasing research and industrial interest in different areas of our life. In this study, cellulose nanofibers (CNFs) isolated from sugar beet pulp and nanoemulsion prepared from sugar beet pectin and pomegranate extract (PGE) were used for making films and used as coating with antioxidant and antimicrobial activities for paper. For Pectin/PGE nanoemulsion preparation, different ratios of PGE were mixed with pectin using ultrasonic treatment; the antibacterial properties were evaluated to choose the formula with the adequate antibacterial activity. The antioxidant activity of the nanoemulsion with the highest antimicrobial activity was also evaluated. The nanoemulsion with the optimum antibacterial activity was mixed with different ratios of CNFs. Mechanical, greaseproof, antioxidant activity, and antibacterial properties of the CNFs/Pectin/PGE films were evaluated. Finally, the CNFs/Pectin/PGE formulation with the highest antibacterial activity was tested as a coating material for paper. Mechanical, greaseproof, and air porosity properties, as well as water vapor permeability and migration of the coated layer from paper sheets in different media were evaluated. The results showed promising applicability of the CNFs/Pectin/PGE as films and coating material with antibacterial and antioxidant activities, as well as good stability for packaging aqueous, fatty, and acidic food products.

Keywords: antibacterial; antioxidant; cellulose nanofibers; coating; migration; nanoemulsion; papermaking; pectin; pomegranate; sugar beet pulp.

Grants and funding

This research was partially funded by STDF, Egypt, project number 25848 entitled: Utilization of Sugar Beet Pulp Residues in Production of Pectin and Microcrystalline Cellulose.