LDPE/ZnO nanocomposite extends citrus shelf life from 16 to 32 days
A 5 wt% LDPE/ZnO:Cu,Si film achieved 94.76% methylene blue degradation under visible light and at least 83% microbial reduction in the dark. The material doubled shelf life for naturally contaminated citrus stored at 25 °C while suppressing Penicillium growth by 92.2%.
citizen.co.zaA low-density polyethylene film containing 5 wt% copper- and silicon-co-doped zinc oxide nanoparticles demonstrated simultaneous visible-light photocatalytic activity and dark-phase antimicrobial performance. The film degraded 94.76% of methylene blue after 90 minutes of visible light exposure, exceeding the 78.24% and 73.96% recorded for benchmark CuO and Fe₂O₃ materials.
Reaction kinetics followed a pseudo-first-order model with an apparent rate constant of 0.0179 min⁻¹. In the absence of light the same formulation produced microbial reductions of 88.1% against S. aureus, 83.3% against E. coli, and 66.7% against Penicillium spp.
after 90 minutes.
Application to fresh citrus When applied to naturally contaminated citrus stored at 25 ± 2 °C, the nanocomposite extended marketable shelf life from 16 to 32 days. Penicillium growth on treated fruit was reduced by 92.2% on day 20. Hydroxyl radicals accounted for 58% of the observed reactive species, and the apparent activation energy of 18.2 kJ·mol⁻¹ supported performance at ambient temperatures.
The authors conclude that the 5 wt% loading meets GRAS criteria and can be produced by conventional melt-blending for active food packaging.
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