Development of red apple pomace extract/chitosan-based films reinforced by TiO2 nanoparticles as a multifunctional packaging material

A chitosan-based (CS) film was developed with nanosized TiO2 and red apple pomace extract (APE). The intermolecular interactions of CS, TiO2 and APE were evaluated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. TiO2 nanoparticles remarkably improved the water vapor and UV–Vis light barrier properties, mechanical strength and thermal stability of CS-APE films. The strong antioxidant abilities of CS-APE and CS-TiO2-APE films were characterized. Nano-TiO2 and APE showed a synergistic enhancement of the antimicrobial activity in CS matrix. The addition of TiO2 nano-particles into CS-APE films resulted the sensitive color variations, which applied successfully as an indicator to monitor the freshness of salmon fillets. Consequently, the development of CS-APE-TiO2 film provides a new solution to convert rad apple pomace to an active and multifunctional food packaging material with considerable mechanical, antibacterial, antioxidant and pH-responsive color-changing properties.