Fabrication of transparent and antimicrobial citric acid crosslinked chitosan-cellulose composite film incorporated with nutmeg oil for food packaging

This study aims to develop a chitosan (Chi)-based biodegradable composite film, crosslinked with citric acid (CA) and reinforced with cellulose (Cell) isolated from coconut dregs, incorporating nutmeg oil (NO) as an active antimicrobial agent. The composite film with the optimal composition—CA0.005-Chi-Cell0.3/NO1—exhibited high transparency, excellent thermal stability, and superior elongation at break compared to the pristine Chi film. The composite film exhibited a rougher and more porous structure, which contributed to its enhanced functional properties. The composite film also demonstrated effective antibacterial activity against both Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus .