GREEN SYNTHESIS OF ANTIMICROBIAL SILVER NANOPARTICLES FROM GREEN TEA LEAF, GINGER, GARLIC, AND CAPSICUM EXTRACTS FOR APPLICATION IN FOOD PRESERVATION

Silver nanoparticles were green synthesized using aqueous extracts of ginger, garlic, capsicum, green tea leaves, and their combinations, with successful formation confirmed by characteristic surface plasmon resonance peaks in UV–Visible spectroscopy. Antimicrobial activity was extract-dependent, with garlic-mediated AgNPs showing strong inhibition against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Salmonella Typhi, ginger-mediated AgNPs being effective against Bacillus cereus, and the ginger–capsicum combination exhibiting the highest overall efficacy among the combinations synthesized. Incorporation of AgNPs into coatings and gelatin films significantly enhanced the shelf life of fresh-cut apple and pineapple by delaying browning, fungal growth, and spoilage while preserving texture and appearance, with ginger and ginger–capsicum AgNP formulations performing best. Film characterization indicated that AgNP incorporation influenced thickness, swelling, and moisture content, affecting barrierproperties, demonstrating the potential of plant-mediated AgNP-based coatings and films as ecofriendly fruit preservation systems.