Development of advanced biopolymer thin films of Carboxymethyl cellulose, Silver, and Zinc Oxide nanoparticles for avocado fruit preservation applications

Abstract

Nanomaterials in post-harvest preservation offer advantages such as non-toxicity, chemical residue-free protection, and effective inhibition of mold and bacteria. Due to their strong antimicrobial properties and their ability to form a thin nano-coating on fruit surfaces, even small amounts of nanoparticles provide extensive coverage, preventing microbial penetration. This technology significantly improves fruit quality and longevity during storage and transportation. In this work, we introduced an advanced biopolymer film of carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) incorporating ZnO and Ag nanoparticles (NPs). Ag NPs and ZnO NPs demonstrated an outstanding antimicrobial inhibition property that can be used for fruit preservation. As a proof of concept, the biopolymer thin films enable to extend avocado ripening from up to 35 days. The sugar concentration variation, the hardness, and the weight loss of the avocado with and without the advanced biopolymer thin film integrated ZnO and Ag nanoparticles in 35 days were compared with each other to clarify the ripening reduction ability of the biopolymer thin film.