Optimization of Potato Starch-Based Bioplastics (Solanum tuberosum) with Lemongrass Essential Oil (Cymbopogon citratus) for Preserving Pineapple (Ananas comosus)

The development of biodegradable materials from renewable sources represents a promising strategy to reduce the environmental impact associated with conventional plastics. This study aimed to optimize potato starch-based bioplastics incorporated with lemongrass essential oil (Cymbopogon citratus) using Response Surface Methodology (RSM) and to evaluate their application in fresh pineapple (Ananas comosus) preservation. A Box–Behnken experimental design with three factors and three levels was applied, considering potato starch concentration (4–8 g), essential oil content (100–300 µL), and glycerol volume (1–2 mL) as independent variables. The effects of these factors on tensile strength, elongation at break, and Young’s modulus were analyzed using a quadratic model. The optimized formulation exhibited a desirability value of 1.00, consisting of 4.13 g of starch, 131.59 µL of essential oil, and 1.43 mL of glycerol, with predicted values of 2.91 MPa tensile strength, 53.18% elongation at break, and 15.18 MPa Young’s modulus. Experimental validation showed good agreement with model predictions, with relative errors below 20%. The optimized bioplastic was subsequently applied as a coating for fresh-cut pineapple stored under refrigeration (4–8 °C), reducing weight loss and improving the stability of physicochemical and textural properties compared with the control treatment. The results demonstrate that potato starch-based bioplastics containing lemongrass essential oil have potential as active biodegradable coatings for extending the quality preservation of fresh pineapple.