Production and characterization of agar based biodegradable food films developed from deep eutectic pea hull (Pisum sativum) extract

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Food Science
• Biotechnology

Background:

• Plastic waste is a major environmental concern, driving demand for sustainable food packaging.
• Active food packaging can enhance food preservation and reduce spoilage.
• Pea pods (Pisum sativum) are a rich source of bioactive compounds with potential applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop novel agar-based biopolymer films incorporating bioactive compounds from pea pod hulls.
• To evaluate the functional properties and food preservation capabilities of these new active packaging films.
• To explore the use of natural deep eutectic solvents (NADES) for extracting bioactive compounds.

Main Methods:

• Extraction of bioactive compounds from pea hulls using NADES.
• Incorporation of pea hull extracts into agar-glycerol films.
• Characterization of film properties: tensile strength, water solubility, contact angle.
• Identification of phenolic compounds using LC-MS/MS.
• Antimicrobial activity testing against E. coli and S. aureus.
• Cheese preservation trials to assess microbial growth.

Main Results:

• NADES-based films showed significantly improved tensile strength (9.03 MPa) compared to control films (4.37 MPa).
• Water solubility decreased by 38%, and hydrophobicity increased (contact angle 75.75°).
• Key phenolic compounds identified include quercetin, coumaric acid, and ferulic acid.
• Films demonstrated significant antimicrobial activity against E. coli (20.4 mm inhibition) and S. aureus (15.6 mm inhibition).
• Cheese samples wrapped with NADES films had substantially lower microbial counts (2.85 log CFU/g) post-storage.

Conclusions:

• Bioactive compounds extracted from pea pods using NADES enhance the functional properties of agar-based films.
• These novel films exhibit improved mechanical durability, hydrophobicity, and potent antimicrobial activity.
• The developed NADES-impregnated films show significant potential as biodegradable, active food packaging, contributing to food preservation and circular economy principles.