Application of Reinforced ZnO Nanoparticle-Incorporated Gelatin Bionanocomposite Film with Chitosan Nanofiber for Packaging of Chicken Fillet and Cheese as Food Models

The food packaging industry has shown increasing attention toward biodegradable active packaging because of consumer demand for the extended shelf life of food products, as well as environmental concerns. In this study, the gelatin-based nanocomposite containing chitosan nanofiber (CHINF) and ZnO nanoparticles (ZnONPs) were fabricated and characterized by SEM analysis. The fabricated nanocomposite film revealed high antibacterial activity against foodborne pathogenic bacteria. To assess the efficiency of this bionanocomposite film for food packaging, chicken fillet and cheese was selected as food models. The results showed that the wrapping with nanocomposite film significantly (p<0.05) decreased the growth of inoculation bacteria in chicken fillet and cheese samples. The changes in pH values and color parameters in chicken fillet and cheese samples were controlled by wrapping with nanocomposite film during storage time. At the end of 12-day storage, the weight loss of the wrapped chicken fillet and cheese samples with nanocomposite were 18.91 +/- 1.96 and 36.11 +/- 3.74%, respectively. In addition, the organoleptic characteristics of wrapped chicken fillet and cheese samples with nanocomposite film were acceptable until the end of storage. In conclusion, the fabricated nanocomposite can be suggested as a suitable packaging material for poultry meat and cheese to improve their shelf life and quality.