Enhanced functional properties of biopolymer film incorporated with curcurmin-loaded mesoporous silica nanoparticles for food packaging

Curcumin loaded mesoporous silica nanoparticle (SBA-15) was incorporated into chitosan (CS) film to improve the functional properties of pure CS film. Curcumin was loaded into SBA-15 (SBA-15-Cur) through a rotavapor method. The structural properties of SBA-15-Cur were characterised in detail by small-angle X-ray scattering, fourier transform-infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy and N-2 adsorption-desorption analyses. The CS/SBA-15-Cur bionanocomposite film was prepared by solvent casting. The mechanical properties of the bionanocomposite film were improved by the addition of the SBA-15-Cur nanofiller, as revealed by the FT-IR analysis of the biocomposite film. However, the water vapour permeability of the films was not significantly influenced by the filler. Release studies suggested that the CS/SBA-15-Cur bionanocomposite film exhibited pH-responsive and sustained release behaviour of curcumin. The CS/SBA-15-Cur film demonstrated efficient antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. These data indicated that the CS/SBA-15-Cur bionanocomposite film could be a promising active food packaging material.