@Article{jrm.2024.056639,
AUTHOR = {María Fernanda Cardona Lunar, Ramón Ordoñez, Heidi Fonseca Florido, Joaquín Hernández-Fernández, Rodrigo Ortega-Toro},
TITLE = {Graphene Oxide and <i>Moringa oleifera</i> Seed Oil Incorporated into Gelatin-Based Films: A Novel Active Food Packaging Material},
JOURNAL = {Journal of Renewable Materials},
VOLUME = {13},
YEAR = {2025},
NUMBER = {2},
PAGES = {311--327},
URL = {http://www.techscience.com/jrm/v13n2/59537},
ISSN = {2164-6341},
ABSTRACT = {
The extensive use of polymeric materials in single-use packaging has driven the need to develop biodegradable alternatives. This study investigates the incorporation of graphene oxide (GO) and <i>Moringa oleifera</i> seed oil (MOSO) into a gelatin matrix to create polymer films and evaluate their potential as active packaging materials. The properties of these films were evaluated using structural, thermal, mechanical, optical, and physicochemical methods to determine their suitability for food packaging applications. The results showed that GO and MOSO were homogeneously dispersed in the gelatin matrix, forming colloidal particles (around 5 µm in diameter). The addition of GO increased opacity by approximately 20 times the base value while MOSO affected light transmittance without impacting opacity. Mechanical properties were affected differently, GO acted as a crosslinking agent reducing elongation and increasing tensile strength at break, on the other hand MOSO acted as a plasticizer, making films more plastic increasing elongation a 30%. These effects counteracted each other, and similar behavior was recorded in differential scanning calorimetry. The films exhibited an improved water vapor resistance, which is crucial for food packaging. These findings indicate that the incorporation of GO and MOSO into a gelatin matrix may produce biodegradable polymer films with enhanced properties, suitable for active packaging in the food industry.},
DOI = {10.32604/jrm.2024.056639}
}