Food packaging plays a crucial role in protecting food from damage and contamination during transport and storage. However, the widespread use of plastic packaging contributes significantly to environmental problems, with the majority ending up in landfills. For this study, biodegradable edible films were developed from mung bean starch, chitosan, glycerol, and varying levels of banana peel extract (BPE). Films containing 15% BPE (Y2-15) demonstrated the most balanced properties in terms of moderate thickness (0.063 mm), moisture content (4.95%), low water solubility (43.86%), strong tensile strength (0.021 MPa), high flexibility (70.15%), high lightness (L*74.89±0.57), with colour (a* - 0.14±0.05) and (b* 12.58±0.35). Y2-15 also had excellent barrier properties against water vapour (4.87±0.18×10-10 g.m/Pa.s.m) and oxygen (1.91±0.37×10-17 kg·m·m−2·s−1·Pa−1). These findings indicate that incorporating BPE enhances the functional qualities of edible films, offering a promising, eco-friendly alternative to conventional plastic packaging. The approach aligns with Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) and SDG 13 (Climate Action).
Tien et al. (Tue,) studied this question.