Self-Synthesized Acetylated Nanocellulose and Syzygium cumini (L.) Skeels (Fadel) Fruit Extract-Incorporated Hydrophobic and Intelligent Film for Chicken Meat Freshness Monitoring

A novel cellulose acetate (CA)-based film was developed for intelligent food packaging by incorporating self-synthesized acetylated nanocellulose (ANC) and anthocyanin-rich Syzygium cumini (L.) Skeels (Fadel) fruit extract (FD). The ANC derived through nanocellulose acetylation and crude FD obtained via extraction was uniformly dispersed in a CA matrix and fabricated into a CAANC(10%)FD film using the casting method. The ANC and FD significantly enhanced the film’s hydrophobicity, mechanical strength, and soil degradability. The CAANC(10%)FD film exhibited a superior TS (28.4 ± 0.4 MPa), surpassing that of high-density polyethylene (HDPE, 15 MPa). The film showed a 17.231 ± 3.703% weight loss in soil within 45 days compared to pure HDPE, which demonstrated no weight loss even after burial in soil for 4 months. The film demonstrated efficient real-time freshness monitoring of chicken meat at 25 ± 1 °C and 48 ± 5% RH. Hence, the CAANC(10%)FD film can be a sustainable alternative to conventional plastic packaging.