Evaluation of biodegradable smart films obtained from cellulose microfibril gels and yerbamate plant extract

Due to the importance of safe packaging for food products, researchers and manufacturers are seeking suitable solutions for this type of packaging. Smart packaging of food indicates the health or spoilage of the food inside the package. The use of biodegradable materials in food packaging is also important due to the lack of environmental pollution. In this study, eucalyptus pulp was first converted to microfibrillated cellulose using a Masuko disk mill. To prepare the microfibrillated cellulose/gum arabic gel, a gum arabic solution at 10 and 20% (v/v) was added to the eucalyptus pulp instead of water and passed through the Masuko mill. Glycerol was used as a plasticizing agent at 37% of the dry weight of the pulp. Films with different compositions were then prepared using a molding method and were analyzed using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Additionally, the tensile strength of the films was evaluated. Biodegradability testing was also conducted using a soil burial method. Finally, the intelligence of the films was assessed using a buffer solution with a pH range of one to thirteen. The research results showed that the resulting films are completely environmentally friendly and decompose almost entirely after about a month. Films containing gum arabic extract decomposed slightly later due to the presence of antimicrobial substances. The intelligence testing results also indicated that gum arabic extract can be used as an indicator of food spoilage in packaging.