Characterization of starch biofilm reinforced with cellulose microfibers isolated from Musa Saba' midrib residue and its application as an active packaging film

Abstract Two main disadvantages of starch‐based biofilms are their low mechanical strength and high hydrophobicity. This work investigated incorporation of cellulose microfibers (CMF) with a range of CMF loading (i.e., 0, 0.5, and 1.0 wt% of CMF) as fillers to improve the mechanical properties of starch‐based biofilm. CMFs (average diameter = 75 μm) were isolated from midrib of Musa Saba' banana residue using chemical treatments of steam explosion alkaline treatment, acid‐chlorite treatment, and acid hydrolysis. The starch‐based biofilm showed improved tensile strength (32.5%), Young's Modulus... Mehr ...