The physical properties of CMC films with or without ZEO incorporation are shown in Table 1. Film thickness varied from0.035 to 0.085 mm. The thickness of the control film (withoutZEO) was 0.035 mm; this increased with increasing ZEO content(P < 0.0001). This increase can be attributed to the entrapment of microdroplets of ZEO into the film matrix. Similar results werefound by Shojaee-Aliabadi et al. for K-carrageenan films contain-ing Satureja hortensis essential oil [38]. When ZEO concentration with in the CMC matrix increased from 1 to 3%, moisture content properties The physical properties of CMC films with or without ZEO incorporation are shown in Table 1. Film thickness varied from0.035 to 0.085 mm. The thickness of the control film (withoutZEO) was 0.035 mm; this increased with increasing ZEO content(P < 0.0001). This increase can be attributed to the entrapment ofmicrodroplets of ZEO into the film matrix. Similar results werefound by Shojaee-Aliabadi et al. for K-carrageenan films contain-ing Satureja hortensis essential oil [38]. When ZEO concentrationwithin the CMC matrix increased from 1 to 3%, moisture contentdecreased significantly from 19.94% to 15.64% (P < 0.05). The mois-ture content of the control film differed significantly from thatof the ZEO films. These results can be attributed to a decrease inthe hydrophilic nature of the films, as well as interaction betweenthe components of ZEO and the hydroxyl groups of CMC, whichmay reduce the availability of hydroxyl groups for interactionwith water molecules, consequently leading to a more water-resistant film. Similar results were found by previous studies