Synthesis of Nano-film from Nanofibrillated Cellulose of Banana Pseudostem (Musa spp.) to Extend the Shelf life of Tomato

A nano-film was developed using nano-fibrillated cellulose (NFC) obtained from banana (var. Poovan) pseudostem. The NFC was prepared by alkali treatment followed by bleaching and acidification, as described and characterized in the authors' previous paper. The NFC was used as base material for the development of nano-film. The nano film was prepared via solvent casting with NFC (4%), polyvinyl alcohol (5%), and polyacrylic acid (5%) at a v/v ratio of 5:8:1. The nano-film was characterized using ultraviolet-visible (UV-VIS) spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), thermal gravimetric analyzer, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), gas permeability tester (GPT), texture profile analyzer, and digital thickness gauge meter. The data showed that the developed nano-film was UV protectant, possessed strong cross-linking, had high oxygen barrier capacity, was thermally stable up to 356 degrees C, and had high tensile strength than conventional film. To assess the protective quality of developed nano-film, tomato fruits were covered, and the shelf life was determined using physiological and biochemical attributes. The study revealed that nano-film developed from NFC possessed tomato preserving capacity for 15 days under ambient storage condition. Overall, the data suggested that banana fibres could be a potential source of NFC to develop biodegradable nano-film.