Cinnamon essential oil-enriched arrowroot starch-based biodegradable films for sustainable packaging and microbial preservation of chicken meat

The demand for sustainable food packaging has driven the development of biodegradable materials with multifunctional properties. This study investigates arrowroot starch (ARS)-based composite films enhanced with cinnamon essential oil (CEO) nanoemulsions, offering eco-friendly and active packaging solutions. CEO nanoemulsions, stabilized using 1% pectin and 0.1% Tween 80, achieved optimal stability (zeta potential: -16.9 mV) and nano-sized droplets (<500 nm), ensuring uniform incorporation and film performance. The concentration of CEO significantly influenced the film properties, with 2% CEO emerging as the optimal level for most parameters. The ARS-CEO (2%) films exhibited superior tensile strength (19.78 MPa) and elongation at break (372%), compared to the control ARS film (11.23 MPa, 227%). The nanocomposite films demonstrated excellent UV barrier properties (7.24% transmittance at 280 nm) while maintaining high visible transparency (95.89%), ensuring suitability for food packaging. Reduced film solubility (18.4%) and moisture content (18.2%) were observed for ARS-CEO (2%), compared to the higher values of the control film (34.5%, 34.9%). Antioxidant activity was concentration-dependent, with ARS-CEO (2%) achieving the highest free radical scavenging activity (67.35%). Similarly, antibacterial tests revealed significant inhibition of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, with 2% CEO providing optimal antimicrobial efficacy. Biodegradation studies demonstrated balanced durability and environmental compatibility, with ARS-CEO (2%) films achieving 65.24% weight loss after 21 days. Packaging trials using chicken samples highlighted the ability of ARS-CEO (2%) films to significantly reduce microbial load, extending the shelf life effectively. Overall, the ARS-CEO nanocomposite films, particularly at 2% CEO, offer a promising, sustainable alternative to conventional plastics, with superior mechanical, barrier, antioxidant, antimicrobial, and biodegradability characteristics tailored for active food packaging applications.