Preparation and characterization of polylactic acid/fenugreek essential oil/curcumin composite films for food packaging applications

Curcumin and Fenugreek essential oil (FEO) were blended into the PLA matrix by solution casting technique to improve the functional properties of the composite film. Both fillers (curcumin and FEO) were properly combined and uniformly distributed in the polymer matrix to create a PLA-compatible composite evidenced by Scanning electron microscope (SEM) and Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) results. The addition of FEO and curcumin to the composite film improved UV-blocking, surface color, tensile strength, flexibility, thickness, and Water contact angle (WCA). However, the inclusion of curcumin and FEO slightly diminish the Water vapor permeability (WVP) while maintaining its thermal stability. The PLA-based composite film exhibited good antibacterial and anti-oxidant properties. In addition, a food quality test was performed on strawberry, and the results were compared to the commercial (polyethylene) film.