Multifunctional Biodegradable Polysaccharide Aerogel Pads with Polyphenol–anthocyanin Co-loading for Exudate Management and Freshness Monitoring of Packaged Beef
摘要
Herein, a biodegradable, colorimetric, antimicrobial, and antioxidant aerogel absorbent pad (SS/B/T) based on potato starch (ST) and sodium alginate (SA) was fabricated by freeze-drying. The porous aerogel network was used to incorporate green tea extract (GTE) as an antimicrobial agent and black wolfberry anthocyanin (BW) as an indicator, and its application in beef packaging was evaluated. FTIR, XRD, SEM and molecular docking analyses revealed that BW and GTE were successfully incorporated via non-covalent interactions, resulting in a reduced average pore diameter from 362 to 167 μm and enhanced intermolecular interactions. Furthermore, the SS/B/T aerogel exhibited high water absorption capacity (2673%) and good mechanical strength. In addition, the SS/B/T aerogel showed obvious color changes under different pH conditions and ammonia atmospheres. GTE improved the color stability of BW through co-pigmentation while simultaneously endowing SS/B/T with enhanced antibacterial and antioxidant properties, with inhibition zone diameters of 11.63 ± 0.69 mm against Escherichia coli and 9.56 ± 0.82 mm against Staphylococcus aureus, and a DPPH radical scavenging activity of 82.26%. In beef-packaging applications, SS/B/T effectively delayed beef quality deterioration and indicated the spoilage process through a visible color transition from purple to blue. Overall, SS/B/T shows strong potential as a biodegradable multifunctional absorbent pad for exudate management, auxiliary preservation, and freshness indication in meat packaging.