Abstract / Summary
Background Edible films for food packaging can be produced from hydrocolloids, lipids, resins, and composites, including gelatin. Gelatin has good film-forming ability and has been proposed as an alternative to non-biodegradable plastics. The incorporation of naturally active compounds into edible films may protect food products from oxidation and microbial contamination while also affecting the physicochemical properties of the film. Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have been used as active agents in food packaging because of their antibacterial and antifungal properties. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the effect of AgNP incorporation on the physicochemical characteristics of edible films prepared from Pangasius sp. skin gelatin. Methods Bruguiera gymnorrhiza mangrove extract was used for the green synthesis of AgNPs. AgNPs at different concentrations (0, 2, 4, and 8%) were incorporated into gelatin-based edible films. The films were evaluated for thickness, tensile strength, elongation at break, water vapour transmission rate, moisture content, pH, and colour. Results AgNP incorporation significantly affected the colour of the gelatin-based edible films, with increasing AgNP concentration resulting in darker films. However, despite some numerical variations, AgNP incorporation did not significantly affect film thickness (145–216 μm), tensile strength (14.58–19.72 MPa), elongation at break (21.86–54.19%), water vapour transmission rate (30.91–42.55 g/m 2 /day), moisture content (9.57–11.16%), or pH (5.92–6.01). Conclusions AgNP incorporation did not significantly affect the physicochemical properties of the gelatin-based edible films, except for colour. These findings provide baseline information for further development of AgNP-enriched gelatin-based edible films for food packaging applications.