Development of Innovative Environmental Safety: Bioactives Against Pathogenic Bacteria Red Pectin Films from Hibiscus sabdariffa Flos Extract for Circular Economy

In this work, we developed an antioxidant and antibacterial red pectin food packaging material with natural Hibiscus sabdariffa flos. This study showed that this red pectin film (PJH, PCH, PCJH) containing Hibiscus extract exhibited antioxidant activity. The addition of hibiscus improved the barrier properties. The WVTR parameter values for the PJH, PCH and PJCH samples were as follows: 4.87 [g/m2d], 4.45 [g/m2d], and 4.48 [g/m2d]. The addition had a significant effect on the L* of the samples, i.e., PJH, PCH and PJCH films. This is a useful effect for films of selected products or product groups. Microbiological analyses of our red pectin films showed that they had an inhibitory effect on the growth of Listeria monocytogenes. In the case of the Staphylococcus aureus strain, the inhibitory effect was shown by films that contained hibiscus extract: PJH, PCH and PJCH. This means that the added hibiscus increased the antimicrobial activity of our red films. An additional advantage of our pectin films is their red colour, which, in addition to its protective and ecological function, also plays a marketing role.