Biocompatibility and antimicrobial properties of banana peel waste extract-loaded gelatin/ polyethylene glycol films for food packaging applications

The aim of this research is to develop and characterize gelatin/polyethylene glycol (GEL/PEG) films incorporating banana peel waste extract (BPWE) for sustainable food packaging (FP) technologies. BPWE was extracted using ultrasound-assisted ethanol extraction and incorporated at two concentrations (3 and 6 mL) into GEL/PEG film. The SEM showed that incorporating the waste extract increased surface roughness and porosity. The water contact angle decreased from 89.7° (unloaded) to 63.2° (BPWE-6), indicating increased hydrophilicity, while the water vapor transmission rate (WVTR) increased from 6.15 to 7.62 g/m 2 /day. The ultimate tensile strength decreased slightly from 0.91 MPa to 0.73 MPa in BPWE-6 Gel. Antibacterial activities showed that BPWE-6@GEL/PEG films (18.4–22.8 mm) had strong inhibition zones against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter baumannii, Enterococcus faecium, and Listeria monocytogenes , and that BPWE-3@GEL/PEG films (10.7–15.4 mm) also showed inhibition zones, though less than those of BPWE-6@GEL/PEG. Time-kill kinetics indicated that BPWE-6@GEL/PEG could completely inactivate the microorganisms within 120 min. The large protein amount was released from P. aeruginosa, confirming membrane disruption and serving as the bactericidal mechanism. Additionally, the films demonstrated excellent antibiofilm performance, reaching 100% inhibition after 5 days. Antioxidant activity was markedly enhanced, with scavenging efficiencies of 76.1% (DPPH), 84.7% (ABTS), and 64.8% (H 2 O 2 ). Overall, the results reveal that BPWE-6@GEL/PEG films combine effective antimicrobial, antibiofilm, and antioxidant functionalities with acceptable physical properties, making them a promising and biocompatible candidate for active food packaging aimed at extending shelf life and preventing microbial contamination. • Banana peel waste extract enriched GEL/PEG films developed for sustainable food packaging. • BPWE-6@GEL/PEG film showed strong antibacterial zones (18–23 mm) against foodborne pathogens. • Films exhibited enhanced antioxidant capacity with up to 84.7% ABTS radical scavenging activity. • Sustained release of phenolic and flavonoid compounds maintained long-term functional activity. • Non-toxic, antibacterial films offer eco-friendly alternatives to petroleum-based food packaging.