Development of nanocomposite biodegradable film containing iron nanoparticles biosynthesised by Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The use of nanoparticles in biodegradable films has been shown to improve their characteristics in food packaging. The study was designed to investigate the effect of iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) and lysed yeast cells residue (YSR) on the properties of whey protein concentrate (WPC) films. IONPs (0, 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 mm ) biosynthesised by Saccharomyces cerevisiae and YSR were used to prepare WPC films. The addition of IONPs and YSR increased the tensile strength (TS) of the films by approximately 2.6 MPa compared with the control films (P < 0.05). Percent elongation and water vapour permeability of the films decreased significantly (P < 0.05) by the contribution of IONPs. All the films did not inhibit the growth of tested microorganisms. The incorporation of YSR in the film also did not make a significant change in any properties of the film (P > 0.05). The results indicated the usefulness of IONPs incorporation into WPC films to enhance mechanical but not antimicrobial properties.