Bacterial cellulose-based Pickering emulsions reinforced with silver and silica nanoparticles for advanced antibacterial and hydrophobic food packaging solutions

Abstract

Conventional packaging materials typically exhibit insufficient barrier performance and limited antimicrobial efficacy, constraining their utility in food preservation. Enhancing attributes such as moisture resistance, antimicrobial potency, and stability in biodegradable matrices has presented a longstanding challenge. Herein, we report the design of an ODSA-based Pickering emulsion coating of bacterial cellulose, further modified with AgNPs and SiO₂ (TAS), engineered to elevate food preservation standards within packaging applications. TAS demonstrates pronounced hydrophobicity, achieving a stable contact angle of 110°, thus offering robust water repellency—a crucial quality in moisture-resistant coatings. Moreover, the emulsion displays significant antibacterial activity, producing inhibition zones against E. coli and S. aureus, attributable to the bactericidal action of AgNPs. The TAS coating notably mitigates weight loss in fruits; strawberries treated with TAS retained over 98 % of their initial weight after seven days, compared to a 6 % weight reduction in untreated counterparts. The ODSA-TAS emulsion serves as an effective UV and IR barrier, markedly diminishing transmittance at 365 nm and 700 nm, thereby protecting produce from oxidative degradation. These results underscore the multifunctional capabilities of ODSA-TAS, affirming its potential as a sustainable solution to extend food shelf life.