Polyvinyl alcohol-modified starch biopolymer films incorporated with heat-killed Enterococcus faecium FBL1 for enhanced food packaging and extended shelf life

• HEF-incorporated PVOH-MS films enhance food preservation and shelf life. • PVOH HDP biopolymer films with 20 % HEF improved moisture retention for 24 h. • PVOH-ADA and PVOH HDP films with 20 % HEF had low oxygen transmission rates. • Strawberries in PVOH HDP films retained 91.5 % of their weight after 6 days. • HEF-incorporated films offer antimicrobial properties and environmental sustainability. Packaging materials pose environmental threats due to limited biodegradability. This study aimed to develop eco-friendly packaging materials that enhance food storage, provide antimicrobial properties. Polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH)-modified starch (MS), acetylated distarch adipate (ADA), β-cyclodextrin (BCD), and hydroxypropyl distarch phosphate (HDP) films were incorporated with heat-killed Enterococcus faecium (HEF) FBL1 at concentrations (0–20 %). The antimicrobial activity of PVOH-ADA, PVOH-BCD, and PVOH HDP (1:1 ratio) films with 20 % HEF showed inhibition zones of 0, 0.5, and 0.85 mm against Bacillus cereus , respectively. PVOH HDP biopolymer films with 1 % and 20 % HEF improved moisture retention for 24 h. Oxygen transmission rates were lowest in PVOH-ADA and PVOH HDP films with 20 % HEF (2.45 and 1.99 cm³/m²·day, respectively). HEF-incorporated PVOH-BCD films could not be measured. In storage tests, strawberries packaged with PVOH HDP biopolymer films with 20 % HEF retained 91.5 % of their initial weight after 6 days, compared to 76.9 % in controls, and maintained fruit hardness (5.5 vs. 2.07 N). The HEF-incorporated PVOH-MS films provided antimicrobial activity, reduced food waste and environmental impact, and extended the shelf life of perishable foods, making them a sustainable alternative to conventional packaging.