Cumin seed oil-enriched starch films with non-Fickian diffusion controlled release for smart packaging: Enhancing microbial safety and extending shelf-life of fresh meat.

This study presents the fabrication of arrowroot starch (ARS)-based bionanocomposite films, plasticized with glycerol, reinforced with nanocellulose (NC), and enriched with cumin seed oil (CSO), aimed at sustainable, smart food packaging applications. The optimized formulation (F4: 15% glycerol, 7.5% NC, 5% CSO) demonstrated significantly enhanced structural, barrier, bioactive, and mechanical properties compared to the control (F1: ARS-glycerol). SEM and FTIR analyses revealed a compact, layered morphology and strong intermolecular interactions in F4. The film exhibited superior optical characteristics, achieving 62.66% visible light transmittance with exceptional UV shielding (T280 = 0.02), and notable improvements in water vapour barrier performance: moisture content reduced to 9.04%, solubility to 18.74%, and water contact angle increased to 50.92°, indicating elevated hydrophobicity. Water vapour permeability decreased by 34.4% (14.78 g/m2/day), and oxygen permeability was significantly suppressed (2.3 × 10-5 g/cm2/day), suitable for perishable meat products. Mechanically, F4 displayed the highest tensile strength (31.7 MPa), optimal stiffness (158 MPa), and flexibility (212%). Thermal analysis confirmed delayed degradation and enhanced stability. GC-MS profiling revealed a sustained release of bioactive volatiles-primarily α-pinene (32.2%) and γ-terpinene (30.1%)-from the film matrix. Release kinetics of polyphenols into food simulants followed Korsmeyer-Peppas and Higuchi models, indicating a non-Fickian diffusion mechanism suitable for controlled antioxidant migration. In refrigerated beef packaging trials, F4 effectively extended shelf life up to 5 days by preserving physicochemical attributes (stable pH: 5.87, reduced weight loss: 2.3%), maintaining colour (low ΔE, high a* values), and limiting metmyoglobin formation (6.37% vs. 14.53% in PE). Lipid oxidation was effectively inhibited (TBARS: 0.39 mg MDA/kg vs. >1.1 mg MDA/kg in controls), and microbial load was drastically reduced (200 CFU/mL). These results validate the multifunctionality of F4 as a bioactive, biodegradable alternative to synthetic plastics, capable of enhancing microbial safety, oxidative stability, and sensory quality of high-risk perishable foods like fresh meat.