Nanocellulose contains a large number of hydroxyl groups that can be used to modify its surface due to its structure. Owing to its appealing features, such as high strength, great stiffness, and high surface area, nanocellulose is currently gaining popularity in research and industry. The extraction of nanocellulose from the leftover bagasse fiber from sugarcane production by alkaline and acid treatment was successful in this study, with a production yield of 55.6%. The FTIR and XPS results demonstrated a difference in the functional and chemical composition of untreated sugarcane bagasse and extracted nanocellulose. SEM imaging was used to examined the size of the nanocellulose with ImageJ software v1.8.0. TGA, DTG, and XRD analyses were also performed to demonstrate the successful extraction of nanocellulose in terms of its morphology, thermal stability, and crystal structure before and after extraction. The anti-S. aureus activity of the extracted nanocellulose was discovered by using an OD₆₀₀ test and a colony counting method, and an inhibitory rate of 53.12% was achieved. According to the results, nanocellulose produced from residual sugarcane bagasse could be employed as an antibacterial agent.

This study developed an eco-friendly antibacterial agent for food packaging containing Houttuynia cordata Thunb. extract via encapsulation technology.

This study aimed to prepare anti-Staphylococcus aureus inclusion complexes (ICs) of Hinoki essential oil (HEO) with β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) and 2-hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (2-HP-β-CD). An ultrasound-assisted kneading method was applied for the complexation for the first time. The recovery yield, embedding fraction and loading capacity of the HEO/β-CD ICs were 92.5%, 78.0% and 11.9%, respectively, while the corresponding values were 80.8%, 73.7% and 12.9% for the HEO/2-HP-β-CD ICs. As well, a comparative study confirmed the efficiency of the ultrasound-assisted kneading method was higher than the traditional kneading method. The results of SEM, XRD, GC-MS and FT-IR suggested the successful formation of ICs. A significant anti-Staphylococcus aureus activity of the fabricated ICs was demonstrated using a colony counting method. Notably, when the dose in liquid culture medium was 20 g L⁻¹, inhibitory rates of 99.8% for HEO/β-CD ICs and 100% for HEO/2-HP-β-CD ICs were achieved. Furthermore, the hydrophilic property of the ICs was proved by water contact angle measurements, implying they have the potential to act as anti-Staphylococcus aureus agents for blending with hydrophilic biodegradable materials for diverse food packaging utilizations.

Protein-based films are attractive candidates for biodegradable packaging, yet their performance is often compromised by phase separation when combining components with contrasting hydrophilicity. In this study, gelatin/zein films were used as a model system to elucidate how phase separation governs multifunctional properties. FTIR, XRD, TGA, and SEM analyses confirmed heterogeneous domains arising from immiscibility, which strongly influenced mechanical, heat-sealing, barrier, and optical behaviors. Zein incorporation improved tensile strength, water resistance, and UV-blocking capacity, while it simultaneously compromised heat-sealing strength, transparency, and gas barrier uniformity. To rationalize these trade-offs, a Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) framework integrating the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to the Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) was applied, revealing that gelatin/zein blends performed worse overall than pure films. These findings demonstrate that phase separation can improve individual attributes without generating synergistic effects, emphasizing the importance of compatibility control and holistic evaluation in the rational design of biodegradable packaging materials.