Preparation and Characterization of Biocompatible Films Based on Cassava Starch/Bovine Gelatin/Zinc Oxide Nanorod Supported with Saffron Anthocyanin

The development in the use of biomolecules capable of changing the food shelf life may facilitate to reduce the food waste challenge. Cassava starch/bovine gelatin/zinc oxide nanorod (n-ZnO) active bionanocomposite films were fabricated by incorporating saffron anthocyanin (SA) using a solvent casting technique. Their physicochemical properties such as, antioxidant, total phenolic content (TPC), thickness, and antibacterial activity, were investigated. Incorporating SA significantly (P<0.05) increased the film thickness from 0.06 mm to 0.14 mm. The introduction of the 2.5% SA into the biofilms also increased their antioxidant properties (DPPH radical scavenging) by more than 5 times. TPC of the cassava/gelatin films was improved by increasing the SA contents. Starch/gelatin/n-ZnO/SA films represented excellent antimicrobial behavior against S. aureus and E. coli . These characteristics suggest that saffron anthocyanin has good potential as a biofiller in composite films based on cassava starch/bovine gelatin/n-ZnO for active films in the food and pharmaceutical sciences.