Properties of gelatin-based films incorporated with chitosan-coated microparticles charged with rutin

- Chitosan-coated microparticles were prepared to encapsulate antioxidant rutin.
- Active films were made by incorporating chitosan-coated microparticles into gelatin.
- Prepared films showed proper dispersion of the microparticles into the gelatin matrix.

The aim of this study was development an active film based on gelatin incorporated with antioxidant, rutin carried into microparticles. The complexation between oppositely charged lecithin and chitosan was applied to prepare the chitosan-coated microparticles. The generated microparticles had an average size of 520 ± 4 nm and a span of 0.3 were formulated by a rotor-stator homogenize at the homogenization speed 10,000 rpm. Composite films were prepared by incorporating chitosan-coated microparticles, at various concentrations (0.05, 0.1, 0.5, or 1% (based on the weight of the gelatin powder)) in the gelatin-based films. For the prepared films, the results showed that obtained physicochemical, water vapor barrier, and mechanical were compared with native gelatin film with a slight decrease for chitosan concentration higher than 0.5%. The microstructure studies done by scanning electron microscopes, revealed different micropores embedded with oil resulting from the incorporation of the microparticles into the gelatin matrix. Moreover, the calorimetric results were comparable to those of gelatin control film with Tg value 45 °C and increased crystallinity percentage with increasing incorporation of microparticles. This original concept of composite biodegradable films may thus be a good alternative to incorporate liposoluble active compounds to design an active packaging with good properties.

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