Abstract:
The need for sustainable alternatives to food packaging is driven by the negative environmental
impacts of traditional plastic packaging. This study aimed to develop and characterize a
biodegradable film based on mango seed starch incorporated with pomelo peel extract as an
active ingredient for food packaging. Mango seed starch- based films were formulated with
different concentrations of pomelo peel extract (0%, 1%, 2%, and 3%) and their mechanical,
physicochemical, and biodegradable properties were analyzed. The solution casting technique
was used to manufacture the films, employing glycerin and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) as
plasticizers. PVA acted as a cross-linking agent, to enhance film structure, and the citric acid in
pomelo peel extract further reinforced cross-linking, increasing mechanical strength and
stability. Results showed no statistically significant difference in film thickness between
treatments, according to the results (p>0.05). However, as pomelo peel extract incorporation
increased from 0% to 3%, density increased from 0.1153 g/cm³ to 0.1653 g/cm³, tensile strength
increased from 5.36 to 9.07 MPa, water absorption significantly decreased from 882.2 ± 1.436 to
37.6 ± 1.63. Biodegradability studies showed some films completely disintegrated after eight
weeks, leaving minimal residue. These results indicate that mango seed starch films incorporated
with pomelo peel extract can serve as a sustainable and biodegradable alternative to plastic
packaging.
