Active Food Packaging Composite Films from Bast Fibers-Derived Cellulose Nanofibrils

The increasing concerns about food waste and environmental pollution call for highly efficient food packaging materials from sustainable sources. Cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) are emerging sustainable materials, and more nonwoody biomasses should be used to prepare CNF-based food packaging materials due to the commercial applications of wood pulp. Herein, we explored the use of four bast fibers to produce CNFs via ball milling and high-pressure homogenization to produce CNF suspensions that were spray-coated onto model fruits (e.g., banana and mango) for food preservation. Unlike other CNF coatings derived from ramie, flax, and kenaf fibers, jute-derived CNF coating significantly prolonged the shelf life of fruits, due to its improved homogeneity, higher oxygen and UV barrier properties, and higher antioxidant activity. This work offers a new strategy to prepare sustainable active packaging materials from natural biomass without chemical modification or additive, boosting related applications in the fields of food and agriculture.