Multifunctional chitosan-based bioactive films incorporated with Jaboticaba pomace extract for sustainable pork preservation.

Abstract

Valorizing food industry by-products is essential for sustainable food packaging. This study develops a bioactive film composed of waste shrimp shell-derived chitosan (CTS) and jaboticaba pomace extract (JAE) to enhance the preservation of fresh pork by leveraging the natural bioactivity of both components. Incorporating JAE significantly enhanced the antimicrobial ability (5.7-log-inactivation of E. coli within 720 min), antioxidant capacity, UV-blocking, and mechanical properties of CTS film, making them a superior alternative to conventional packaging. Fresh pork loins wrapped in CTS-JAE film maintained quality for 12 days at 4 °C, with pH (5.5), total volatile basic nitrogen (TVBN, 10.3 mg/100 g), thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS, 0.16 mg/kg), and total bacterial count (3.7 log CFU/g) remaining within acceptable limits. Structural analyses using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) revealed bacterial membrane disruption as the primary antimicrobial mechanism, further validating the film's effectiveness in controlling microbial growth. Moreover, the CTS-JAE films' strong UV-blocking properties and enhanced mechanical stability contribute to their potential as a multifunctional packaging solution. These findings demonstrate CTS-JAE films as a sustainable alternative to plastic packaging, aligning with circular economy principles and advancing next-generation food packaging.