Food packaging with antibacterial properties has attracted much attention recently. In this study, nickel oxide nanoparticles (NiONPs) were synthesized by co-precipitation and then gelatin/chitosan polymer films (GEL/CS) with different percentages of NiONPs, bio-nanocomposites, were prepared by casting. Morphology, crystal microstructure, molecular interactions and thermal stabilities of the NPs and the composite films were characterized by FESEM, XRD, FTIR and TGA, respectively. The bio-nanocomposite films exhibited excellent barrier, thermal and mechanical properties by addition of an optimized content of NPs. For example, the tensile strength (TS) of the GEL/CS film without NPs was 23.83 MPa and increased to 30.13 MPa by incorporation of 1% NPs. The antibacterial properties and toxicity of the films were investigated. These films show good antibacterial behavior against Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus) bacteria compared to Gram-negative (Escherichia coli) bacteria. Furthermore, the films were found to be non-toxic to fibroblast cells that came into contact with the films, with a survival rate of more than 88%. Therefore, these films can be applied for food packaging due to their excellent mechanical, barrier, and antibacterial properties.
© 2024. The Author(s).