Green synthesized silver nanoparticles embedded chitosan edible films for food packing materials

In this master's thesis, it is aimed to produce green synthesized silver nanoparticle doped, antimicrobial, environmentally friendly, sustainable, renewable chitosan-gelatin based edible films as food packaging material. For this purpose, silver nanoparticles were synthesized by green synthesis method using walnut (Juglans regia) leaf extract. XRD, SEM, FTIR and DLS methods were used to characterize the nanoparticles synthesized under four different conditions. The antimicrobial activity of silver nanoparticles was tested against 7 different microorganisms (Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa,, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella typhi, Candida albicans, Penicillium italicum, Aspergillus niger) using disk diffusion and MIC methods. According to the data obtained, the MIC values for AgNPs-4 were in the range of 3.9-15.625 µg/mL. According to these MIC values, AgNPs-4 showed more antimicrobial effect against yeasts and fungi than bacteria. Although the disk diffusion inhibition diameters of all synthesized AgNPs were in the range of 9-11 mm, the highest inhibition diameter against all microorganisms belongs to AgNP-4 sample. Therefore, AgNP-4s were incorporated into Chitosan-Jelatin based edible films as antimicrobial active agents. The produced edible films were characterized and antimicrobial tests were performed and according to the data collected, the mechanical and antimicrobial properties of the nanoparticle-added edible films were satisfactory. Keywords: Anticmicrobial, biodegredible, edible film, green syhntesized silver nanoparticles