Preparation of chitosan/Tenebrio molitor larvae protein/curcumin active packaging film and its application in blueberry preservation

With growing concerns about postharvest spoilage of fruits, higher requirements have been placed on high-performance and sustainable active packaging materials. In this study, we prepared curcumin-based functional composite films using chitosan (CS) and Tenebrio molitor larvae protein (TMP) as the substrates. The effects of curcumin concentration on the structural and physicochemical properties of the composite films were determined. Curcumin was equally distributed in the polymer film through physical interactions. Furthermore, the curcumin composite film with 0.3 % addition exhibited a 27.39 % increase in elongation at break (EBA), a 37.04 % increase in the water vapor barrier, and strong UV-blocking properties and antioxidant activity compared with the control film (CS/TMP). The degradation experiment of the composite film on natural soil revealed that the composite film exhibited good biodegradability and environmental protection. Furthermore, the applicability of functional composite films for preserving blueberries was investigated. Compared with the control film and polyethylene (PE) films, the prepared composite films packaging treatment reduced the decay rate and weight loss rate of blueberries during storage, delayed softening and aging, and maintained the quality of blueberries. Using sustainable protein resources (TMP) and natural polysaccharides as packaging materials provides an economically, feasible and sustainable way to achieve the functional preservation of biomass materials.