Green tea-boron nitride incorporated pumpkin pectin-alginate food packaging film preparation and characterization

Petroleum-based packaging poses a major environmental threat to life on Earth. This type of packaging does not degrade in nature for many years and causes environmental pollution as it is difficult/costly to recycle. Packaging is used in food storage to preserve food quality, ensure food safety and extend shelf life. With the increasing need for food in the world, the demand for packaging materials is also increasing. It is therefore difficult to strike a balance between the use and recycling of packaging. Efforts should be made to design food packaging according to the type of food, to produce it in an environmentally friendly way and to be applicable in food packaging systems. Within the scope of this study, food packaging films were produced to utilize agricultural residues left by farmers after harvest and integrate them into the economy. In this study, pectin was obtained from pumpkins and mixed with alginate to make packaging films. Green tea extract (GTE) was incorporated as an enhance water permeability and strength, while boron nitride nanoparticles (nB) were selected to improve the physical attributes of the films. The use of green tea decreased the moisture content and swelling of the films while enhancing their mechanical strength. The incorporation of nB into the films enhanced their opacity and mechanical strength, while simultaneously decreasing their moisture content, swelling percentage, and water vapor permeability rate (WVPR). Future research suggests that these films may serve as food packaging materials. © 2025 Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Union of Chemists in Bulgaria.