2nd Edition of Agriculture, Forestry, and Horticulture World Conference 2026

Abstract

The development of biodegradable materials has emerged as a promising strategy to mitigate the environmental impact of conventional plastic waste. However, starch-based bionanocomposite films reinforced with nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC) still face several limitations, particularly regarding antimicrobial activity, barrier properties, and biodegradability. To overcome these challenges, incorporating polyphenolic compounds derived from gambier extract, primarily catechins and tannins, offers a potential solution due to their functional and bioactive properties. This study aimed to develop and characterize bionanocomposite films based on elephant foot yam (EFY) starch and NCC, incorporating gambier extract at concentrations ranging from 1 to 2.5% (w/v). The research method was an experimental design using One-Way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and Duncan's multiple range test. The results demonstrated that incorporating gambier extract significantly affected the physicochemical and functional properties of the films. Film thickness and biodegradability increased with increasing extract concentration, while water vapor permeability decreased, indicating improved barrier performance. In addition, the films exhibited enhanced antimicrobial activity against Bacillus cereus and Staphylococcus aureus, confirming the bioactive role of gambier-derived polyphenols. In terms of mechanical properties, the addition of gambier extract resulted in increased Young’s modulus but decreased tensile strength and elongation at break, indicating the formation of a stiffer yet more brittle film structure. This behavior is attributed to strong intermolecular interactions and restricted polymer chain mobility induced by polyphenolic compounds. Morphological analysis using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed a relatively uniform dispersion of catechin compounds within the film matrix, while Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) confirmed the presence and interaction of polyphenolic functional groups. Overall, the incorporation of gambier extract improved the functional, antimicrobial, and barrier properties of EFY starch–NCC bionanocomposite films. These findings highlight the potential of gambier-enriched films as sustainable, active packaging materials, thereby enhancing food safety and supporting the transition toward environmentally friendly alternatives to conventional plastics.
 
Keywords: Active packaging; gambier extract; elephant foot yam starc; nanocrystalline cellulose; antimicrobial activity