Revamping Ethylene Absorption Utilizing Brick Ash in Packaging for Prolonging the Freshness of Banana Leaves.

Banana leaves (BLs), renowned for their cultural significance and culinary versatility, serve as indispensable wrappers
for food items across tropical and subtropical regions. However, preserving their freshness presents a challenge due to their
perishable nature, and traditional preservation methods have limitations. Prompted by this, the studies explore sustainable active
packaging solutions to enhance the shelf life of banana leaves. Employing a comprehensive methodology involving sample selection,
screening, and testing of packaging materials, and active packing processes, the study evaluates changes in moisture content, water
activity, weight loss, pH, colorimetric analysis, and sensory evaluation. With the experimental results, BLs were packed in LDPE
pouches with a water vapor transmission rate of 5.476 g/m2/day and an oxygen transmission rate of 140.569 cc/m2/day.
Additionally, the BLs were treated with an ethylene scavenger sachet, resulting in treated samples. Storage conditions were
maintained at 27 ± 2 °C with 65 ± 5% relative humidity (RH). Analysis revealed that control samples exhibited deteriorating quality
parameters after 5 ± 1 days, while treated samples maintained quality for 10 ± 1 days under the same conditions, effectively
extending the shelf life of BLs by 2-fold. Treated samples showed maintained moisture content, water activity, chlorophyll, pH, and
color values compared to controls. The results demonstrate promising outcomes in prolonging the shelf life of banana leaves through
sustainable active packaging, underscoring the potential of these solutions to preserve their quality while minimizing environmental
impact. This study emphasizes the significance of sustainable packaging innovations in upholding cultural traditions and advancing
environmental sustainability and increasing the value in the food industry both domestically and in export markets.