Reinforcing polysaccharides with gelatin derived from poultry processing waste for biodegradable and sealable meat packaging
摘要
This study investigates the potential of gelatin derived from chicken processing by-products, combined with renewable polysaccharides, to fabricate heat-sealable and eco-friendly packaging films for meat products. Using the solvent casting method, biocomposite films were developed from chicken skin-head-feet (SHF) gelatin (GE) blended with polysaccharides (chitosan, CH; potato starch, PS; sodium alginate, SA), with carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), as reinforcing materials, and plasticized with glycerol. The GE-SA film exhibited the highest (P < 0.05) elongation value (24.42%) and lowest tensile strength (10.75 MPa). Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) confirmed compact morphology and excellent miscibility of film-forming components. Additionally, GE-CH exhibited superior antioxidant activity (57.25%), making it a promising biodegradable and functional packaging material. Among the formulations, GE-SA films demonstrated Superior biodegradability, fully degrading within 15 days, while also exhibiting remarkable sealing properties and robustness during storage of chicken meat patties at refrigeration temperature (4 ± 1 °C). The GE-SA films effectively preserved the quality and sensory attributes of meat patties, limiting thiobarbituric acid (TBA) values at 0.17 mg malondialdehyde/kg and total plate count (TPC) at 3.76 log10 cfu/g by day 15 of storage. These findings underscore the potential of chicken gelatin-polysaccharide films as sustainable alternatives for extending the shelf life of perishable meat products, contributing to waste valorization and environmentally responsible food packaging solutions.
Graphical abstract