AN ECO-FRIENDLY SMART PACKAGING FILM WITH CARREGENAAN AND ANTHOCYANIN

The basic functions of a packaging; convenience, protection, containment, and communication. While protecting the product in the package against external environmental conditions, it should also provide information about the product with the information and design on it. Research on active and smart packaging, which extends shelf life with decreasing food resources or informs when any change in food structure occurs, attracts more and more attention. The use of natural resources in food traceability (in smart packaging) is very beneficial for health. The fact that polylactic acid is a material of natural origin and its use in food and medicine by the U.S. FDA suggests that it is a very good raw material for the smart packaging industry. Anthocyanins are a naturally sourced material that changes color with pH obtained from plants such as grape skin, red cabbage, strawberries, and turnips. When foods spoil, they release amine derivatives into the environment, which causes shifts in the packaging towards the base. In this study, anthocyanins were extracted from natural sources and carregenaan's films containing these anthocyanins was prepared by solvent casting method. The color properties of the prepared films were determined by both color spectrophotometer and UV spectrophotometer. The surface morphologies of smart films were examined using SEM. The swelling ratio, re-release in water, optical, and mechanical properties were determined. The use of the obtained films as smart films was determined on chicken. As a result, smart films have been produced successfully. The resulting smart films turn red-violet in acidic conditions and blue-green in basic conditions. It has been determined that the film, which changes color with deterioration, can be used as a smart packaging material.