Lim Jia Xin, Shoriya Aruni Abdul Manaf, Mohd Azwan Jenol, Pui Khoon Hong, Ida Idayu Muhamad and Aishah Mohd Marsin

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PHYSICOCHEMICAL AND ANTIMICROBIAL PROPERTIES OF STARCH-BASED FILM INCORPORATED WITH LEMONGRASS ESSENTIAL OIL

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Abstract 

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This study developed active starch-based films incorporated with phenolic-rich lemongrass essential oil (Cymbopogon citratus) using cassava, maize, and potato starches casting method. Physical, mechanical, thermal, and antimicrobial properties were evaluated and conducted in triplicate (n=3) with statistical analysis. Potato starch-based film exhibited the highest tensile strength (3.033±0.004 N/mm2) compared to maize (2.541±1.238 N/mm2) and cassava (0.269±0.784 N/mm2). Maize starch-based film displayed superior thermal resistance and stability via TGA and DSC analyses. All films demonstrated strong antimicrobial activity, inhibiting Escherichia coli and Bacillus cereus with inhibition zones >8 mm . Overall, adding lemongrass essential oil into starch matrixes yields effective active natural packaging. Future work will focus on scaling up production and testing compatibility across diverse food matrices for commercial application.

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