pH-Responsive Color Indicator of Saffron (<i>Crocus sativus</i> L.) Anthocyanin-Activated Salep Mucilage Edible Film for Real-Time Monitoring of Fish Fillet Freshness

oleh: Mohammad Ekrami, Negar Roshani-Dehlaghi, Ali Ekrami, Marzieh Shakouri, Zahra Emam-Djomeh

Format: Article
Diterbitkan: MDPI AG 2022-10-01

Deskripsi

Researchers have been focusing increasingly on preparing innovative packaging films made from renewable and biodegradable materials in recent years. This research set out to fabricate and analyze pH-sensitive edible films based on salep mucilage combined with anthocyanin from saffron (<i>Crocus sativus</i> L.) (SA<sub>As</sub>). A casting technique was developed with varying concentrations of SA<sub>As</sub> (0, 2.5, 5, 7.5, and 10%<i>v</i>/<i>v</i>) pH-sensitive edible films. The surface morphology, physicochemical, barrier, and mechanical properties, as well as the pH sensitivity of films, were investigated. The results showed SA<sub>As</sub> increased thickness, water solubility, moisture content, and oxygen permeability (O<sub>2</sub>P) up to 199.03 µm, 63.71%, 14.13%, and 47.73 (cm<sup>3</sup> µm m<sup>−2</sup> day<sup>−1</sup> kPa<sup>−1</sup>), respectively, of the pH-sensitive salep mucilage edible indicator films. As expected, the SA<sub>As</sub> concentration from 0% to 10%<i>v</i>/<i>v</i> decreased tensile strength, transparency, and contact angle to 11.94 MPa, 14.27%, and 54.02°, respectively. Although achieving the highest elongation at the break (108%) and the lowest water vapor permeability (WVP) (1.39 g s<sup>−1</sup> m<sup>−1</sup> Pa<sup>−1</sup> × 10<sup>−11</sup>), the pH-sensitive edible indicator film containing 5 %<i>v</i>/<i>v</i> of SA<sub>As</sub> showed the best results. An investigation of pH sensitivity revealed that the solution’s pH variation altered the SA<sub>As</sub> color. When the pH was raised from 3 to 11, the SA<sub>As</sub>’ color shifted from pink to brown. The SA<sub>As</sub>-halochromic salep mucilage edible indicator film was employed as a label in an experiment to track the degradation of fish fillets stored at 4 °C, revealing that the halochromic indicator changed color from yellow to brown as the fish was stored. Our findings show that SA<sub>As</sub>-loaded salep mucilage indicator films help monitor real-time food deterioration.