Cassava starch biopolymer film incorporated with Citrus hystrix oil for food packaging

Food products easily deteriorate because of the growth of bacteria and the loss of moisture, gases, and nutrition. It becomes spoilage in a short period and reduces its quality. Artificial or chemical-based food preservatives are widely used in the food industry, but they are toxic and can cause adverse effects on human health. Antimicrobial or active packaging film serves as a new approach to food preservation and packaging that protects the foods from environmental conditions and can delay food spoilage. Thus, incorporating natural additives such as essential oil into film formulation is nontoxic and safe for humans. Essential oil contains active compounds to retard microbial activities. Therefore, the biopolymer film incorporated with essential oil could improve food quality, extend food's shelf life and make it biodegradable. This study explores the potential of Citrus Hystrix oil (CHO) as an active ingredient in the film formulation. The CHO was extracted using the hydrodistillation method, and then it was incorporated into the film formulation,