Development of edible films from sorbitol-modified basil seeds fortified with jamaican cherry (muntingia calabura l.) leaf as an antibacterial and antioxidant agent

Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Diponegoro, Semarang, 50275, Indonesia

^* Corresponding author: noer.abyor@che.undip.ac.id

Abstract

The problem the world is currently facing regarding plastic waste has reached critical levels, significantly impacting the environment and the well-being of various life forms. One sector where plastic usage can be reduced is in food packaging, which can be substituted with eco-friendly edible films. These films can be derived from polysaccharide compounds, such as basil gum. This research was using sorbitol as a plasticizer. Furthermore, to bolster their antibacterial and antioxidant properties, Jamaican cherry (Muntingia calabura L.) leaf extract was integrated into the film matrix. Additionally, to improve mechanical characteristics, CaCl2 was employed via a crosslinking method. This research also aimed to produce basil seed-based edible films through the crosslink method, incorporating fortified plasticizers, sorbitol, and chitosan, along with antibacterial Jamaican cherry leaves. The other objectives were to investigate the impact of the quantity of added sorbitol and chitosan on physical attributes, assess the effects of antioxidant fortification on nutritional and chemical properties, and analyze alterations in the chemical structure due to antioxidant addition. The outcomes revealed that the edible films meet JIS requirements for mechanical properties at varying concentrations of basil seed gum, sorbitol, and Jamaican cherry leaf extract of 20% w/w, 25% w/w, and 6% v/w, respectively.