Silver-nanoparticle-loaded chitosan lactate films with fair antibacterial properties

Food quality and safety are major concerns in the food industry. Antimicrobial packaging can be considered an emerging technology that could have a significant impact on life and food safety. Antimicrobial agents in food packaging can control the microbial population and target specific microorganisms to provide greater safety and higher quality products. In this work, a lactic acid grafted chitosan film was synthesized. Silver nanoparticles were loaded into the chitosan lactate (CL) film by equilibration in a silver nitrate solution, which was followed by citrate reduction. The presence of silver nanoparticles was confirmed with transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis of the film. The silver-nanoparticle-loaded CL film was investigated for its antimicrobial properties against Escherichia coli. This newly developed material showed strong antibacterial properties and thus has potential for use as an antibacterial food-packaging material.