Preparation and investigation of chemical and physical properties of edible biocomposite film based on sago starch containing methanolic extract of cactus leaves, pectin and zinc oxide nanoparticles

Pourmohammadi, Sharifeh; Valipour, Peiman; Hosseinzadeh, Masoumeh; Khajavi, Ramin; Khalilzadeh, Mohammad Ali

Preparation and investigation of chemical and physical properties of edible biocomposite film based on sago starch containing methanolic extract of cactus leaves, pectin and zinc oxide nanoparticles

Articles in Press

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

Sharifeh Pourmohammadi ¹

Peiman Valipour ¹

masoumeh hosseinzadeh ¹

Ramin Khajavi ²

Mohammad Ali Khalilzadeh ³

¹ Department of Chemistry, Islamic Azad University, Ghaemshahr Branch, Ghaemshahr, I.R. IRAN

² Department of Polymer and Chemical Engineering, North Tehran Azad University, Tehran, I.R. IRAN

³ Research and Development Center, Charlottesville, USA

Abstract

This study investigated the development of biodegradable edible films from sago starch incorporated with cactus leaf methanol extract, pectin, and ZnO nanoparticles to enhance their physical and chemical properties. Although sago starch-based films have been widely studied, the combined effects of these additives have not been previously explored. Biocomposite films were prepared via the solution casting method using a 4% sago starch base, with extract concentrations of 0.25–1.0% (w/v), 0.5% pectin, and 0.1% ZnO nanoparticles. The primary objective was to characterize structural and physicochemical changes using ATR-FTIR, XRD, SEM, and GC-MS analyses (for identifying phenolic compounds and fatty acids in the extract). Results revealed significant improvements in moisture content (11.68 ± 0.091% to 12.87 ± 0.065%) and water solubility (55.26 ± 0.625% to 81.33 ± 0.065%), alongside hydrogen bonding interactions between the starch–pectin matrix and bioactive compounds, as evidenced by FTIR spectra. These biodegradable films offer a promising alternative for active food packaging applications.

Keywords

Sago starch

Cactus

pectin

biodegradable and zinc oxide nanoparticles

Subjects