Valorizing Agro Industrial Byproducts for Next Generation Sustainable Food Packaging: Wheat Germ Protein and Banana Peel Films

Abstract

The increasing environmental footprint of synthetic plastic garbage researchers are looking into biodegradable options from renewable resources. The goal of this study was to formulate and characterize banana peel powder (BPP) modified wheat germ protein (WGP) based edible and antimicrobial films for possible application as sustainable food packaging materials. Films were made from various concentrations of WGP (0%, 0.4% and 0.8%) with a constant concentration of BPP and the mechanical physicochemical antioxidant and antimicrobial properties were evaluated. The results showed that the use of WGP greatly improved film function. Mechanical analysis revealed that the tensile strength of the control sample was 5.0 ± 0.02 MPa whereas the tensile strength of the 0.8% WGP film was 4.0 ± 0.07 MPa which was a gradual decrease thus showing good flexibility. The water vapor permeability is increased by increasing WGP indicating increased barrier properties. The total phenolic contents (0.8 ± 0.2 mg GAE/g) and DPPH radical scavenging (55 ± 0.2%) were found to be quite high with increasing concentration of WGP indicating that it possesses bioactive potential in the film. Microbial assays showed effective inhibition of pathogenic microorganisms and color and surface morphology analyses (SEM and FTIR) indicated uniformity and compact structures of WGP enriched films. Based on the results of the study, the films made by incorporating wheat germ protein and banana peel powder were biodegradable, antioxidant, and antimicrobial, which makes them suitable for active packaging applications for food packaging. The results of this product contribute to the valorization of agro-industrial by products as viable and sustainable alternatives to synthetic plastics with an environmentally friendly focus.