A Strategy to Prolong Cheese Shelf-Life: Laminated Films of Bacterial Cellulose and Chitosan Loaded with Grape Bagasse Antioxidant Extract for Effective Lipid Oxidation Delay

This study presents an innovative approach to developing bioactive composite films for food packaging applications. Laminated films composed of bacterial cellulose (BC) and chitosan were enriched with grape bagasse extract (GE) and glycerol. GE provides antioxidant capacity. Glycerol was added as plasticizer. The formulations were systematically varied to assess their mechanical and thermal properties. The assembly of the films demonstrated robust interaction between components, resulting in enhanced mechanical strength. Tensile tests revealed that GE and glycerol concentrations significantly influenced the tensile strength and elongation properties Films were obtained with Tensile Strength values that ranged between 16.92 - 32.71 MPa, but with an increase of up to 4 times in the percentage of elongation (from 2.33 to 8.63%) compared to films without GE. Puncture tests indicated that the incorporation of GE and glycerol played pivotal roles in improving puncture resistance. Predictive models were developed for better understanding. The laminated films were applied as separators for Havarti cheese, demonstrating their ability to mitigate lipid oxidation and maintaining antioxidant properties during storage. After 60 days of cheese storage, 67.3% decrease in the lipid oxidation was obtained. The findings suggest that laminated BC-chitosan films enriched with GE and glycerol could serve as effective, eco-friendly packaging materials with enhanced mechanical strength and antioxidant functionality for extending the shelf life of food products.