A curcumin-loaded pectin/carboxymethyl cellulose/gelatin film: synthesis, characterization, and application

Traditional plastic packaging causes environmental pollution and biosafety issues, and developing simple and effective biodegradable active packaging remains a challenge. This study aimed to develop pectin/carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC)/gelatin-based films formulated with curcumin (Cur) to investigate the changes in the films' physicochemical properties and the application in grass carp preservation. The results indicated that Cur was uniformly distributed in the film matrix through hydrogen bonding. The addition of Cur enhanced the films' tensile strength, thermal stability, and hydrophobicity. Additionally, the active films demonstrated strong anti-UV properties. Notably, the film containing 1 % Cur (PCG-cur1) exhibited the highest antioxidant activity (94.99 ± 0.06 % for DPPH and 92.89 ± 0.18 % for ABTS). During preservation, the PCG-cur1 film slowed changes in surface color, pH, and TVB-N levels of grass carp, extending their shelf life to 10 days under refrigeration. These findings suggest that PCG-cur films have great potential as active packaging materials for food preservation.