Essential Oil-Added Chitosan/Gelatin-Based Active Packaging Film: A Comparative Study

Active packaging films based on chitosan/gelatin were prepared using a solution casting method by adding various essential oils (lime, tea tree, rosemary, and thyme essential oils), and their effects were compared. The fabricated films were characterized and various physical properties as well as the antioxidant performance of the films were studied. Adding essential oils to the polysaccharide/protein biopolymer mixtures resulted in compatible films with high transparency (>90% transparency). The mechanical strength and stiffness of the chitosan/gelatin films were improved by about 30% in the presence of essential oil, but the flexibility slightly decreased, and the stiffness improved. On the other hand, the water vapor barrier properties, thermal stability, and hydrophobicity of the essential oil-containing films were not significantly changed. Adding various essential oils significantly enhanced the antioxidant activity of chitosan/gelatin-based films. Therefore, bio-based functional films with added essential oils can be applied in active packaging applications.