Valorization of Durian Rind Into Functional Cellulose–Chitosan Films for Sustainable Food Packaging

ABSTRACT This study reports the development of cellulose–chitosan biocomposite films utilizing durian rind as the cellulose source for sustainable food packaging applications. Cellulose was isolated by chemical treatment with a yield of 3.32% and a purity of 64%. Composite films with varying cellulose and chitosan were prepared and characterized to evaluate their morphological, thermal, mechanical, optical, moisture‐related, biodegradation, antimicrobial, and food‐packaging properties. Morphological analyses confirmed the successful integration of cellulose and chitosan within the film matrix, with chitosan filling the voids between cellulose fibers to form a more compact structure. Film composition strongly influenced material properties, where increasing cellulose content improved thermal resistance, whiteness, and mechanical strength, whereas increasing chitosan enhanced film flexibility. Moisture‐related properties were dependent on composition, with chitosan‐rich films exhibiting higher water uptake than cellulose‐rich films. All films fully disintegrated within 10 days under soil burial conditions, demonstrating good biodegradability. In food‐packaging trials using sponge cake, bioplastic‐wrapped samples showed no mold growth for up to 10 days, primarily because moisture loss through the permeable films reduced the water activity below the fungal growth threshold. Overall, this study demonstrates a circular‐economy approach to valorizing durian rind waste into biodegradable packaging films with promising potential for food packaging applications, although further improvements in moisture barrier performance are required.