Development of antimicrobial egg coatings for extending the shelf life of eggs using cassava starch blended with sodium alginate, liquid paraffin wax, and ZnO nanoparticles.

Abstract

An antimicrobial nanocomposite coating was developed to extend egg shelf life in high-temperature environments by combining cassava starch, glycerol, sodium alginate (Alg), liquid paraffin wax (Paraffin), and zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles. Coating performance was evaluated on eggs stored at 35 °C for 4 weeks. The optimized formulation effectively reduced weight loss and stabilized albumen pH, while the Haugh unit (HU) was maintained at acceptable levels (B grade). The incorporation of ZnO nanoparticle enhanced mechanical strength through ionic interactions between Zn2+ and carboxylate groups of alginate, while improved hydrophobicity and reduced water vapor permeability. The CS/Alg/paraffin/ZnO 2 coating exhibited a high antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Bacillus cereus, Aspergillus oryzae, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. This sustainable biocomposite coating technology is an effective egg coating material that extends the shelf life of eggs in tropical regions, which is food security technology of sustainable packaging using microbial contamination control to support sustainable production, food industry regulation and sustainable agriculture.