Antioxidant and antimicrobial poly(vinyl alcohol)-based films incorporated with grapefruit seed extract and curcumin

Abstract

PVOH-based multifunctional films were fabricated by blending with grapefruit seed extract (GSE) and curcumin using a solvent casting technique. Both fillers (GSE and curcumin) were mixed well and evenly spread in the polymer matrix to form a compatible composite with PVOH. The addition of GSE and curcumin improved the UV-barrier (>95 %) and mechanical properties (30 %) of the PVOH film. Besides, functional properties like antioxidant and antibacterial actions were increased meaningfully by incorporating GSE and curcumin. However, the incorporation of GSE and curcumin slightly reduced the water vapor barrier property of the film without changing the thermal stability. When the combination of GSE and curcumin was used in a composite film, a unique effect was seen on the film properties. The PVOH/GSE/curcumin film with enhanced mechanical and functional properties can be used for active food packaging applications.