ZnO nanoparticles (ZnONPs) are synthesized and incorporated into soybean protein isolate (SPI) to obtain SPI/ZnONPs (SZ) films, and the morphology, size distribution, and stability are determined. The effects of different contents of ZnONPs in the SZ films on the oxygen barrier, antibacterial activity, and thermal and mechanical properties are evaluated. A ZnONPs content of 0.2% in the SZ films improves the tensile strength and microbial inhibition by 231% and 16%, respectively. The thermal stability and oxygen barrier properties of the SZ films are also enhanced with addition of ZnONPs. The ZnONPs dispersed uniformly in the SPI film enhance the interactions between SPI molecules via hydrogen bonding, and the results suggest potential application of ZnONPs in food packaging.
Keywords: ZnONPs; food packaging; mechanical properties; soybean protein isolate; thermal stability.