A facile method to prepare cellulose fiber-based food packaging papers with improved mechanical strength, enhanced barrier, and antibacterial properties

Cellulose fiber-based food packaging papers with enhanced barrier and antibacterial properties were successfully fabricated by sequential deposition multilayers consisting of chitosan (CS) and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) on paper surface. The formation of CS/CMC multilayers on paper surface was systematically characterized. The CS/CMC multilayers effectively improved not only the barrier properties of papers against grease, oil, water, air and water vapor, but also the mechanical properties of papers. Moreover, the CS/CMC multilayer-modified papers showed improved antibacterial activities against E. coli and S. aureus. A (CS/CMC)5 multilayer-modified paper exhibited the strongest antibacterial activity with growth inhibition rate of 95.8% against E. coli and 98.9% against S. aureus. No obvious cytotoxicity was detected for the obtained modified paper. Therefore, in consideration of its mechanical, barrier, antibacterial and safe performances, it is expected that the as-prepared cellulose fiber-based paper can be used as a promising material for food packaging.