A Comparative Study on the Structural, Physicochemical, Release, and Antioxidant Properties of Sodium Casein and...

The aim of this study was to compare the effect of increasing concentrations (0, 1, 2, 4%) of sea buckthorn oil (SBO) on the structural, physicochemical, release, and antioxidant properties of glycerol-plasticized sodium casein (NaCAS) and gelatin (GEL) films. Ultrasonic treatment ensured effective homogenization of SBO in both types of emulsions, resulting in yellow-tinted semi-opaque films with relatively low micro-roughness. Generally, GEL films demonstrated lower UV barrier properties and solubility but exhibited higher compactness, crystallinity, transparency, surface hydrophobicity, oxygen barrier performance, strength, and antiradical activity compared to their NaCAS-based counterparts. In a concentration-dependent manner, SBO decreased the solubility and water absorption of the gelatin-based film and enhanced its oxygen permeability. Conversely, SBO improved the water vapor barrier properties of both films in a concentration-independent manner. At the highest SBO concentration, the tensile strength of NaCAS- and GEL-based films decreased by 27% and 20%, respectively, while their antiradical activity increased by 9.3× and 4.3× (based on the time required for the half-neutralization of 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radicals). Migration studies showed that at the lowest concentration, SBO was released (into 95% ethanol) approximately 2× faster from the GEL-based film than from the NaCAS film, whereas at higher concentrations, the trend reversed.