Enhancing the performance of bioactive coating with Malaysian herbs : strobilanthes crispus (black face general) and aloe barbadensis miller (aloe vera) / Nur Aleeya Syahirah Binti Mohd Azuri

Faculty of Chemical and Process Engineering Technology

Final Year Report (Bachelor of Chemical Engineering Technology (Hons) ) -- Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah - 2025

Include bibliographical reference

The growing interest in sustainable bioactive coatings led to substantial research into plant-based additives with antibacterial and antioxidant capabilities. This study assesses the efficacy of bioactive coatings containing Strobilanthes crispus (Black Face General) and Aloe barbadensis miller (Aloe Vera). Antimicrobial activity, weight loss decreases, pH stability, and antioxidant capacity were all tested on several formulations at varied concentrations. The antimicrobial analysis against Escherichia coli demonstrated that pure Aloe Vera had the highest inhibitory effect (1.43 cm), followed by formulations comprising both Aloe Vera and Black Face General, indicating increased microbial suppression. In terms of weight loss reduction, the coating formulation containing 3% Aloe Vera (S2) performed best, significantly reducing moisture loss in both pineapple and apple samples over seven days. The pH stability study revealed that coatings with higher amounts of Black Face General (3%) had the lowest pH (4.6), which contributed to longer fruit freshness by inhibiting microbial growth and enzymatic activity. Finally, antioxidant capacity testing using the DPPH radical scavenging method revealed that the formulation containing 2% Black Face General (S4) had the highest antioxidant activity (15.69%), followed by the 3% Black Face General + 3% Aloe Vera (S5) formulation (14.39%), indicating a synergistic effect between the two plant extracts. These findings indicate that bioactive coatings coated with Strobilanthes crispus and Aloe barbadensis miller have considerable benefits in food preservation by increasing antimicrobial resistance, extending shelf life, and providing excellent antioxidant protection. This study demonstrates the potential of plant-based bioactive coatings in a variety of industrial applications, including food packaging and pharmaceutical formulations. Future research should look into the mechanical stability, large-scale production feasibility, and long-term consequences of these coatings under varying storage conditions.