Biobased alginate/castor oil edible films for active food packaging

In this study, we aim to prepare novel bioactive edible films based on sodium alginate and castor oil (CO). The chemical structures and crystallinity were investigated using FTIR and XRD, respectively. Thermal stability by TGA was improved after CO addition. Addition of CO to alginate resulted in better mechanical properties when compared with neat alginate. The water vapour permeability was significantly reduced (p < 0.05) while the total colour difference was not significantly changed (p > 0.05) after CO incorporation. The antibacterial study proved a significant inhibitory effect of the films towards Gram-positive bacteria while no effect was observed for Gram-negative bacteria.