Background and Objectives Today mankind is confronting a novel corona virus pandemic which has an oral–faecal route of contamination in which food serves as a potential carrier. Wrapping of food products in food packaging films embedded with clove oil can help the packaged food to fight against corona virus in its active form as antiviral properties of clove oil has already proven against COVID-19 virus.

Methods This study was conducted in Gujarat, India, wherein a low cost active food packaging film was developed, in which clove oil was embedded in polysaccharides (extracted from banana peels) based film (at 0, 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2% w/w) by solvent casting method.

Results The findings showed that increasing the concentration of clove oil (p<0.05) decreased the percent moisture content, water vapour permeability and percent solubility with increase in opacity of film. Highest values of thickness and tensile strength were observed at 2% w/w concentration of clove oil whereas percent elongation was highest at 1.5% w/w concentration of clove oil. DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl-hydrate) radical scavenging method showed increase of antioxidant activity with 2% w/w concentration of clove oil at 90 minutes incubation. Shelf life of developed film was evaluated as 196 days when stored at room temperature (35 ± 1°C), incubator (30 ±1°C) and refrigerator temperature (7 ± 1°C) for regular physical and microbial assessment.

Conclusion This study concludes that clove oil as antiviral agent can be successfully embedded in polysaccharide matrix and active food packaging film developed.