Valorization of Blueberry Processing Byproducts for the Development of Intelligent Packaging: A Comparative Study on...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Food Science
• Sustainable Chemistry

Background:

• Growing plastic pollution and food waste necessitate sustainable packaging solutions.
• Agro-industrial residues, like blueberry pomace, are rich in valuable compounds but often underutilized.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop multifunctional chitosan-based films using blueberry pomace (BBP) for intelligent food packaging.
• To evaluate the performance of full-biomass BBP integration versus extract-only approaches.

Main Methods:

• Incorporation of up to 30 wt% mildly hydrolyzed blueberry pomace (BBP) into a chitosan matrix.
• Characterization using FTIR, SEM, mechanical testing, and barrier property analysis.
• Assessment of pH-responsive color changes and antioxidant release.

Main Results:

• Chitosan-BBP films showed enhanced opacity, UV-blocking, and pH-responsive color changes.
• Strong interactions between BBP and chitosan confirmed; improved flexibility and moderate reinforcement observed.
• Films maintained barrier properties, with BBP-containing versions showing superior pH responsiveness and sustained antioxidant release.

Conclusions:

• A scalable, zero-waste strategy for smart packaging using upcycled fruit pomace and chitosan.
• Demonstrates the potential of full-biomass valorization for high-performance, sustainable materials.
• Aligns with circular economy principles by converting waste into functional food packaging.