A Corn husk fiber parcel coated with kaffir lime oil extract replacement of a plastic parcel for parceling moisture absorption by silica powder

Abstract

In order to maintain food and materials, including drying products at the original dried condition, silica gel can be one choice for absorbing moisture. Most silica gel is packed in an Parcel made from plastic, which is difficult to naturally degrade thus causing environmental problems. This research, therefore, have developed packaging material from agricultural waste, corn husks, for absorbing moisture from food, rice. From the study, it was found that the corn husk paper had characteristic of smooth paper surface. When making it into a corn fiber Parcel, its maximum moisture absorption from saturated humidity was 9.22±0.92% and it could absorb the moisture from the rice stored at room temperature when compared to the plastic sachet at 8.26±0.50% and 9.30±0.08%, respectively. When coated with kaffir lime oil extract, the corn husk Parcel had the capability in anti-fungus commonly habituated in corn husks up the concentration of 15,000 ppm. It could naturally be degraded within 12 days. Therefore, with these advantageous qualification, the natural Parcel made of corn husk paper harboring silica is for moisture absorption as sustainable and environmental conservation material.