High-strength collagen/delphinidin film incorporated with Vaccinium oxycoccus pigment for active and intelligent food packaging

Abstract This study developed an active and intelligent collagen-based packaging film with high strength for visually monitoring the freshness of fish. The results of scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy showed that the film based on cross-linked collagen/delphinidin catalyzed by laccase exhibited a denser layer structure and a rougher surface. The dry and wet tensile strengths of the laccase-catalyzed collagen/delphinidin film (Col/Dp-LA film) increased by 41.74 MPa and 13.13 MPa in comparison with that of the pure collagen film, respectively. Moreover, the Col/Dp-LA film presented good antioxidant and barrier properties demonstrated by the results of free radical scavenging rate, light transmission rate, and water vapor permeability. The intelligent collagen-based film was obtained by incorporating Vaccinium oxycoccus pigment into the Col/Dp-LA film, which could change color under different pH values. When applied to the preservation of fish fillets , the film could release Dp to minimize oxidative rancidity and prolong the shelf life of the fish for 2 days. Meanwhile, the film showed visual color changes from purplish-red to greyish-blue after the fish spoilage. These results indicated that the collagen film treated with delphinidin, laccase, and Vaccinium oxycoccus pigment has potential application value in the field of active and intelligent food packaging. Graphical Abstract