Processing and Characterization of Bioplastic Film Fabricated from a hybrid of Cocoa Pod Husk and Kenaf for the Application in Food Industries

Abstract

The increase in synthetic plastic packaging usage has led to severe environmental problems due to their non-biodegradability. Replacement of synthetic with eco-friendly packaging films could reduce the ecological crisis and increase the potential of bio-material wastes to be utilized. Thus, this study focuses on developing a cost-effective film to be potentially exploited as a novel food packaging material using a combination of agricultural wastes, cocoa pod husks and kenaf fibre. Five different ratios of cocoa pod husk to kenaf fibre (100:0, 75:25, 50:50, 25:75, and 0:100) were used in the bioplastic preparation. The evaluated bioplastic reinforcement properties, including drying time to be bioplastic, water content, water absorption and water vapour permeability, were evaluated. This study found that the bioplastic with 50% cocoa pod husks integrated with 50% kenaf fibres exhibited the lowest water absorption and water vapour permeability. The moisture content of the 50% ratio of both materials presented an acceptable result (6.92%), while it took five days as the time taken for the bioplastic to be dried. The tested properties proved that the bioplastic from the ratio of 50% of cocoa pod husks and 50% of kenaf fibres is suitable as the novel of food packaging materials. The improvement of bioplastic made of cocoa pod husks incorporated with kenaf fibres could be exploited as a source for bio-plastic production in a food container and food wrapping.